r?^.
^
DEC 6 1917
Sectioe TT 8^
SMITH'S ACCOUNT OF TAKING THE "GOLDEN BIBLE" FROM MORMON HILL.
ORIGIN, RISE, AND PROGRESS
^i^^^' ■ '•
( DEC 6 19
MORMONISM
^%5SlCAl ^i
BIOGRAPHY OF ITS FOUNDERS AND HISTORY OF
ITS CHURCH.
PERSONAL REMEMBRANCES AND HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
HITHERTO UNWRITTEN.
By POMEROY TUCKER,
PALMYRA, N. T.
NEW YORK :
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY.
443 & 445 BROADWAY.
1867.
Entered, according to Act of Cougress, in the year 1S67, by
POMEEOT TUCKEE,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the
Northern District of New Tork.
PREFACE
MoRMONiSM, in its progress and maturity, has attained
a conspicuous page in the annals of our century. Yet a
fiiU account of the remarkable sect, beginning v/ith its
origin and rise, and circumstantially disclosing the earlier
designs and delusions of its founders, has hitherto re-
mained unwritten. The facts and reminiscences contained
in this volume, based upon the author's personal knowl-
edge and information, are produced to fill the blank and
supply the omitted chapters in Mormon history.
Chronologically tracing the Church of Latter-D^y
Saints, from its singularly humble starting-point, through
a wonderfully successful career of domination by crafty
leaders over blind infatuation, to its assumed dignity of a
newly-revealed gospel dispensation, with its extraordinary
hierarchal powers and pretensions, this truthfal narrative
is necessary to the completion of the history from the
foundation of the institution. Events and incidents, which
at their occurrence were viewed by enlightened minds as
too insimiificant for serious thouo-ht, are now rescued from
oblivion for record and preservation, as important illus-
4 PREFACE.
trations of tlie gTOiindwork of a stiipeiidoiis imposture at-
taining an extended influence and world-wide notoriety.
In claimino' for the statements herein set forth the
o
character of fairness and authenticity, it is perhaps appro-
priate to add in this connection, that the locality of the
malversations resulting in the Mormon scheme, is the au-
thor's birthplace ; that he was well acquainted with " Joe
Smith," the first Mormon prophet, and with his father and
all the Smith family, since their removal to Palmyra from
YeiTQont in 1816, and during their continuance there and
in the adjoining town of Manchester ; that he was equally
acquainted with Martin Harris and Oliver Cowdery, and
with most of the earlier followers of Smith, either as
money-diggers or Mormons ; that he established at Pal-
myra, in 1823, and was for many years editor and pro-
prietor of the Wayne Sentinel, and was editorially con-
nected with that paper at the printing by its press of the
original edition of the " Book of Mormon " in I'gSO ; that
in the progress of the work he performed much of the
reading of the proof-sheets, comparing the same with the
manuscript copies, and in the mean time had frequent and
familiar inten^iews with the pioneer Mormons, Smith, Cow-
dery, and Harris ; that he was present at the repeated con-
sultations and. negotiations between these men and Mr.
Grandin in relation to the printing of the book, and
united with the latter in the friendly admonitions vainly
seeking to divert Harris from his persistent fanaticism in
that losing speculation.
PREFACE. O
For corroboratory references, the author is permitted
to name Messrs. Joseph Capron, Russell Stoddard, Barton
Stafford, and Russell M. Rush, of Manchester, N. Y. ; and
Messrs. George Beckwith, George W. Cuyler, Richard S.
Williams, Willard Chase, John H. Gilbert, and Joseph C.
Lovett, of Palmyra ; who, with himself (excej)t the last two
named), were contemporaries and neighbors of Smith and
his family for the whole period of their residence in this
locality, and all of whom were famihar with their char-
acter and pursuits, and with their money-digging repu-
tation and fabulous " Golden Bible " discovery.
The data for the later chapters of this Mormon his-
tory, have been obtained from private correspondence, per-
sonal communications, official records, and various pub-
lished works.
POMEROY TUCKER.
Palmyra, K Y., May, 1867.
LETTER OF THURLOW WEED.
Mr. Weed resided at Rochester, near the scene of
Smith's dekisive practices, at the time of the inception
and development of the Mormon invention, and knew
either personally or by common fame the chief impostor
and his followers. The letter below will explain itself:
New York, June 1, 1867.
Dear Sir : I have been so constantly occupied, that I
really did not get time to say how much I was interested
6 PKEFACE.
in your history of Mormonism. I have long hoped that
some person with personal knowledge of the origin of this
great delusion — who saw it as I did, when it was "no
bigger than a man's hand, " and who has the conrage and
capacity to tell the w^hole truth, would undertake the task.
I read enough of your manuscript to be confident that
you have discharged this duty faithfully. The character
you have given "Joe Smith," his family and associates,
corresponds with what I have often heard from the old
citizens of Palmyra. Such a work is wanted, and no one
but a writer personally and familiarly acquainted with the
false prophet and his surroundings cauld have written it.
Truly yours,
THUELOW WEED.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
Biography of Joseph Smith, Jr.— Early Life and Times of the
Smith Family— Their Character and Employments, . . 11
CHAPTER II.
Smith's Money-Digging— How it began— Magic Stone— A Vision
—Wonderful Discoveries— Fanatics and Dupes, . . . 19
CHAPTER HI.
Mysterious Stranger— Smith has a Remarkable Vision— He as-
sumes to be a Prophet— Finding of the Golden Bible and
Urim and Thummim— Frightful Phenomenon— Translations
—How received by the Public, 27
CHAPTER IV.
Budding of the Mormon Church— Proposed Printing of the
Golden Bible — Martin Harris consults Professor Anthon
and Others— Translations lost— Mysterious Stranger again, . 38
CHAPTER V.
New Translations— The Prophet's Cave— Printing Contract-
Book completed— Harris " pays the Printer," ... 48
O CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VI.
PAGE
Publication of the Mormon Bible — Blooming of the Church of
Latter-Day Saints — Its Patriarch and President — Character-
istic Anecdote — Failure of "Golden Bible" Speculation, . 58
CHAPTER VII.
Modified Revelation— Testimony of Witnesses— A Prophet that
was not a Prophet — Sidney Rigdon the first regular Preacher
of the New Gospel — His Sermon — Calvin Stoddard receives
a " Call"— Mormon Emigration to Ohio, . . . .68
CHAPTER VIII.
Style of the New Revelation — Passages from the Book — Scat-
tered Tribes — Journey from Jerusalem to the Promised
Land — Their Tribulations in the Wilderness and at Sea —
Records " hid up in the Hill Camorah" pr Mormon Hill, . 84
CHAPTER IX.
Origin of the Book of Mormon — Who wrote it? — Mormon Le-
gends— Solomon Spaulding's Fable — Rigdon and Smith the
Schemers, Ill
CHAPTER X.
Kirtland, Ohio — Maturity of the Mormon Church — Theology of
the Saints — Brigham Toung converted — Martin Harris in
Council — A Division of the Mormons remove to Missouri —
Saints under Proscription, • . . 129
CHAPTER XL
Mormons in Missouri — Their Prosperity and Adversity — ^Failure
of Smith's Bank at Kirtland— The Prophet and Young flee
CONTENTS. 9
PAGE
to Missouri — Mob Conflicts — Interposition of Government
Authorities— The Saints driven out of the State— Scattered
Tribes — Asylum at Nauvoo, ....... 153
CHAPTER XII.
Mormons settle at Nauvoo— Public Sympathy — Accessions and
Conversions — City Charter — Revelations for Temple and
Nauvoo House— Spiritual Wifeism and Polygamy, . . 167
CHAPTER XIII.
The Polygamous Revelation— Vices of the Saints— Criminations
and Recriminations — Conflict with State Authorities — As-
sassination of Joseph and Hyrum Smith — Young succeeds
to the Spiritual Dictatorship — Rigdon defeated and ex-
pelled, 183
CHAPTER XIV.
Exodus from Illinois — Bold Adventure of Brigham Young — Suf-
ferings on the Plains — Mexican "War and Mormon Battalion
— Arrival at Salt Lake — State of Deseret and Territory of
Utah — ^Young declared ** Prophet of the Lord" — Corner-
stone of the New Temple, , 203
CHAPTER XV.
Political and Military — Recusancy of Young — He circumvents
the Enemy — Clandestine Mormonism — Missionary Success —
Statistics of the Saints — Utah, its Lakes and its City, . . 224
1*
10 CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVI.
PAOB
Modified Theology— Young's Wealth— Polygamy and Spiritual
Marriage — The Prophet's Harem — Mormon Abominations —
What of the Future ? . .260
APPENDIX.
Letter of Ex-Governor Harding — Fate of Parley P. Pratt — Tem-
ple Project at Salt Lake — Places of Mormon Worship — ^Popu-
lation of the City and Territory — The Church and Polygamy —
Young's Tithing Resources— Pioneer Mormons at Palmyra —
Sacred Archives — "Command" to preach the Gospel of
Nephi — Statement of the late Rev. Jesse Townsend — War
Romance of Mormonism — Institutions of the Mormon Me-
tropolis, ... -V .. 280
MOEMONISM:
ITS OIIIOI]N", RISE, AND PROGRESS.
CHAPTER I.
Biography of Joseph Smith, Jr.— Early Life and Times of the Smith
Family— Their Character and Employments.
Joseph Smith, Jr., who in the subsequent pages
appears in the character of the first Mormon prophet,
and the putative founder of Mormonism and the
Church of Latter Day Saints, was born in Sharon,
Windsor County, Vt., December 13, 1805. He was
the son of Joseph Smith, Sr., who, Avith his wife
Lucy and their family, removed from Royalton, Yt.,
to Palmyra, N. Y., in the summer of 1816. The
family embraced nine children, Joseph, Jr., being the
fourth in the order of their ages, viz. : Alvin, Hyrum
(so spelled by his father), Soj^hronia, Joseph, Samuel
H., William, Catherine, Carlos, and Lucy. These
constituted the chief earthly possessions and respon-
12 MOEMONISM :
sibilities of Mr. and Mrs. Smith at the time of their
emigration to Western New York.
At Palmyra, Mr. Smith, Sr., opened a " cake and
beer shop," as described by his signboard, doing busi-
ness on a small scale, by the profits of which, added
to the earnings of an occasional day's work on hire
by himself and his elder sons, for the village and
farming people, he was understood to secure a scanty
but honest living for himself and family. These hired
days' works were divided among the various common
labor jobs that ofiered from time to time, such as
gardening, harvesting, well-digging, etc.
Mr. Smith's shop merchandise, consisting of gin-
gerbread, pies, boiled eggs, root-beer, and other like
notions of traffic, soon became jDopular with the ju-
venile people of the town and country, command-
ing brisk sales, especially on Fourth of July anni-
versaries, and on military training days, as these
prevailed at that period. Peddling was done in the
streets on those occasions by the facility of a rude
handcart of the proprietor's own construction.
Mr. Smith and his household continued their resi-
dence in Palmyra village, living in the manner de-
scribed, for some two and a half years. In 1818
they settled upon a nearly wild or unimproved piece
of land, mostly covered with standing timber, situate
about two miles south of Palmyra, being on the noith
border of the tOAvn of Manchester, Ontario County.
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PROGRESS. 13
The title of this landed property was vested in non-
resident minor heirs ; and the premises being imcared
•for by any local agent or attorney, the Smiths took
possession of it by the rights of "squatter sover-
eignty." They thus remained unmolested in its pos-
session for some twelve years, occupying as their
dwelling-place, in the first instance, a small, one-
story, smoky log-house, which they had built prior
to removing there. This house was divided into
two rooms, on the ground-floor, and had a low garret,
in two apartments. A bedroom wing, built of sawed
slabs, was afterward added.
Subsequently this property was purchased by Mr.
Smith on contract, a small payment thereon being
made by him to bind the bargain ; and in this way
his occupancy of the premises was prolonged until
after the blooming of the Mormon scheme in 1829.
But little improvement was made upon this land
by the Smith family in the way of clearing, fencing,
or tillage. Their farm-work was done in a slovenly,
half-way, profitless manner. Shortly before quitting
the premises they erected a small frame-house thereon,
partly enclosed, and never finished by them, in which
they lived for the remainder of their time there, using
their original log hut for a barn. This property,
finally vacated by the Smiths in 1831, is now included
in the well-organized farm of Mr. Seth T. Chapman,
on Stafibrd Street, running south from Palmyra.
14: MOKMONISM I
The chief application of the useful industry of the
Smiths during their residence upon this farm-lot, was
in the chopping and retailing of cord-wood, the rais-
ing and bartering of small crops of agricultural prod-
ucts and garden vegetables, the manufacture and sale
of black-ash baskets and birch brooms, the making
of maple sugar and molasses in the season for that
work, and in the continued business of peddling cake
and beer in the village on days of public doings. It
was as a clerk in this last-mentioned line of trade
that the rising Joseph (the prophet to be) learned
his first lessons in commercial and monetary science.
And in this connection it may not be out of place to
state, in the way of illustration in respect to the be-
ginning of human greatness on his part — though the
mention of the fact is by no means creditable to the
memory of the mischievous parties implicated — that
the boys of those by-gone times used to delight in
obtaining the valuable goods intrusted to Joseph's
clerkship, in exchange for worthless pewter imitation
two-shilling pieces.
The larger proj^ortion of the time of the Smiths,
however, was spent in hunting and fishing, trapping
muskrats ("mushrats" was the word they used),
digging out Avoodchucks from their holes, and idly
lounging around the stores and shops in the village.
Joseph generally took the leading direction of the
rural enterprises mentioned, instead of going to
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PROGRESS. 15
school like other boys — though he was seldom known
personally to ^participate in the practical iGorh in-
volved in these or any other pursuits. Existing as
they did from year to year in this thriftless manner,
with seemingly inadequate visible means or habits of
profitable industry for their respectable livelihood, it
is not at all to be wondered at that the suspicions of
some good people in the community were apt to be
turned toward them, especially in view of the fre-
quently occurring nocturnal depredations and thefts
in the neighborhood. On these accounts the inhabit-
ants came to observe more than their former vigilance
in the care of their sheepfolds, hencoops, smoke-houses,
pork-barrels, and the like domestic interests ; though
it is but common fairness to accompany this fact by
the statement, that it is not within the remembrance
of the writer, who in this designedly impartial narra-
tive would "nothing extenuate nor aught set down in
malice," if the popular inferences in this matter were
ever sustained by judicial investigation.
It is appropriate to remark, however, that the
truth of history, no less than proper deference to the
recollections of many living witnesses in Palmyra and
its vicinity, demand that these reminiscences should
be given, intimately blended as they are with the pur-
pose in hand, to present before the public a candid
and authentic account of the origin, rise, and progress
of Mormonism, from its first foundation.
16 MOEMONISM :
At this period in the life and career of Joseph
Smith, Jr., or " Joe Smith," as he w&s universally
named, and the Smith family, they were popularly re-
garded as an illiterate, whiskey-drinking, shiftless, irre-
ligious race of people — the first named, the chief sub-
ject of this biography, being unanimously voted the
laziest and most worthless of the generation. From
the age of twelve to twenty years he is distinctly re-
membered as a dull-eyed, flaxen-haired, prevaricating
boy — noted only for his indolent and vagabondish
character, and his habits of exaggeration and untruth-
fulness. Taciturnity was among his characteristic
idiosyncrasies, and he seldom spoke to any one out-
side of his intimate associates, except when first ad-
dressed by another ; and then, by reason of his extrav-
agancies of statement, his word was received with the
least confidence by those who knew him best. He
could utter the most palpable exaggeration or mar-
vellous absurdity with the utmost apparent gravity.
He nevertheless evidenced the rapid development of a
thinking, plodding, evil-brewing mental composition
— largely given to inventions of low cunning, schemes
of mischief and deception, and false and mysterious
pretensions. In his moral j^hrenology the professor
might have marked the organ of secretiveness as very
lar^re, and that of conscientiousness " omitted." He
was, however, proverbially good-natured, very i*arely
if ever indulging in any combative spirit toward any
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. lY
one, whatever might be the provocation, and yet was
never known to laugh. Albeit, he seemed to be the
pride of his indulgent father, who has been heard to
boast of him as the " genus of the family," quoting
his own expression.
Joseph, moreover, as he grew in years, had learned
to read comprehensively, in which qualification he
was far in advance of his elder brother, and even of
his father ; and this talent was assiduously devoted,
as he quitted or modified his idle habits, to the perusal
of works of fiction and records of criminality, such for
instance as would be classed with the " dime novels "
of the present day. The stories of Stephen Burroughs
and Captain Kidd, and the like, presented the highest
charms for his expanding mental perceptions. As he
further advanced in reading and knowledge, he as-
sumed a spiritual or religious turn of mind, and fre-
quently perused the Bible, becoming quite familiar
with portions thereof, both of the Old and N'ew
Testaments ; selected texts from which he quoted
and discussed with great assurance when in the pres-
ence of his superstitious acquaintances. The Prophe-
cies and Revelations were his special forte. His inter-
, pretations of scriptural passages were always original
and unique, and his deductions and conclusions often
disgustingly blasphemous, according to the common
apprehensions of Christian peoj)le.
Protracted revival meetings were customary in
18 MORMONISM :
some of the churches, and Smith frequented those of
different denominations, sometimes professing to par-
ticipate in their devotional exercises. At one time he
joined the probationary class of the Methodist church
in Palmyra, and made some active demonstrations of
engagedness, though his assumed convictions were in-
sufficiently grounded or abiding to carry him along to
the saving point of conversion, and he soon withdrew
from the class. The final conclusion announced by
him was, that all sectarianism was fallacious, all the
churches on a false foundation, and the Bible a fable.
In nnbelief, theory and practice, the Smith family,
all as one, so far as they held any definable position
upon the subject of religion — basing this conclusion
upon all the early avowals and other evidences re-
membered, as well as upon the subsequent develop-
ments extant — were unqualified atheists. Can their
mockeries of Christianity, their persistent blasphemies,
be accounted for upon any other hypothesis ?
ITS OKIGm, KISE, AND PEOGEESS. 19
CHAPTER II.
Smith's Money-Digging — How it began — Magic Stone — A Vision —
Wonderful Discoveries — Fanatics and Dupes.
In September, 1819, a curious stone was found in
the digging of a well upon the premises of Mr. Clark
Chase, near Palmyra. This stone attracted partic-
ular notice on account of its peculiar shape, resem-
bling that of a child's foot. It was of a whitish,
glassy appearance, though opaque, resembling quartz.
Joseph Smith, Sr., and his elder sons Alvin and Hy-
rum, did the chief labor of this well-digging, and
Joseph, Jr., who had been a frequenter in the progress
of the work, as an idle looker-on and lounger, mani-
fested a special fancy for this geological curiosity;
and he carried it home with him, though this act of
plunder was against the strenuous protestations of
Mr. Chase's children, who claimed to be its rightful
owners.
Joseph kept this stone, and ever afterward re-
fused its restoration to the claimants. Very soon
the pretension transpired that he could see wonderful
20 MOEMONISM :
things by its aid. This idea was rapidly enlarged
upon from day to day, and in a short time his spirit-
ual endowment was so developed that he asserted
the gift and power (with the stone at his eyes) of
revealing both things existing and things to come.
For a length of time this clairvoyant manifestation
was sought to be turned to selfish advantage, in the
way of fortune-telling, and in the pretended discovery
by the medium of the seer-stone of lost or stolen prop-
erty. But the realizations from these sources were in-
sufficient to encourage a long continuance of the ex-
periments, though some small amounts were obtained
by them ; and a very worthy citizen now living in
Palmyra actually paid seventy-five cents in money
for being sent some three miles on a fool's errand in
pursuit of a stolen roll of cloth. It is presumed to be
needless to add, that no genuine discoveries of stolen
property were made in this manner, and that the
entire j^roceeds derived from the speculation went
into Joe's pocket.
The most glittering sights revealed to the mortal
vision of the young impostor in the manner stated,
were hidden treasures of great value, including enor-
mous deposits of gold and silver sealed in earthen
pots or iron chests, and buried in the earth in the im-
mediate vicinity of the place where he stood. These
discoveries finally became too dazzling for his eyes in
daylight, and he had to shade his vision by looking
ITS ORIGrN", EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 21
at the stone in his hat ! Of course but few persons
were sufficiently stolid to listen to these silly preten-
sions, for they were only of a piece Avith Joe's habitual
extravagances of assertion. Yet he may have had
believers.
Persisting in this claim to the gift of spiritual
discernment, Smith very soon succeeded in his experi-
ment upon the credulity of a selected audience of
ignorant and superstitious persons, to an extent which
it is presumed he could not himself have anticipated
at the outset of the trial. He followed up this advan-
tage, and by its means, in the spring of 1820, raised
some small contributions from the people in the
vicinity, to defray the expense of digging for the
buried money, the precise hiding-place of which he
had discovered by the aid of the stone in his hat.
At an appointed time, being at a dead hour of night,
his dupes and employed laborers repaired with lan-
terns to the revealed locality of the treasure, which
was upon the then forest hill, a short distance
from his father's house ; and after some preparatory
mystic ceremonies, the work of digging began at his
signal. Silence, as the condition of success, had been
enjoined upon the chosen few present, who were to be
sharers in the expected prize. The excavating pro-
cess was continued for some two hours, without a
word being spoken — the magician meanwhile indi-
cating, by some sort of a wand in his hand, the exact
YiYi MOEMONISM :
spot where the spade was to be crowded into the
earth — when, just at the moment the money-box was
within the seer's grasp, one of the party, being
"tempted by the devil," spoke! The enchantment
was broken, and the treasure vanished ! Such was
Joe's explanation, and, ridiculous as was the idea, it
was apparently satisfactory to his dupes.
This was the inauguration of the impostor's money-
digging performances ; and the description given of
this first trial and of its results is as near exactitude
as can at this time be recollected from his own ac-
counts. Several of the individuals particij^ating in
this and subsequent diggings, and many others well
remembering the stories of the time, are yet living
witnesses of these follies, and can make suitable cor-
rections if the particulars as stated are not substan-
tially according to the facts.
The imposture was renewed and repeated at fre-
quent intervals from 1820 to 1827, various localities
being the scenes of these delusive searches for money,
as pointed out by the revelations of the magic stone.
And these tricks of young Smith were not too absurd
for the credence of his fanatical followers. He was
sufficiently artful and persevering to preserve his
spell-liolding power over their minds, and keep up his
deceptions for the length of time before stated. It
certainly evidences extraordinary talent or subtlety,
that for so long a period he could maintain the po-
ITS OEIGLN", EISE, AND PEOGRESS. 23
tency of his art oyer numbers of beings in tlie form
of manhood, acknowledging their faith in his super-
natural powers. He continued to use this advantage
in the progress of his experiments to raise from them
and others contributions in money and various arti-
cles of value, amounting to a considerable aggregate
sum, being enough to pay the digging expenses
(whiskey and labor), and also in this way securing a
handsome surplus, which went in part toward neces-
sary domestic supplies for the Smith family.
In some instances individuals were impelled, in
their donations in this busiuess, by the motive of
ridding themselves of Smith's importunities, while
others advanced the idea that there " might be some-
thing in it," as they explained in reply to the unfavor-
able suggestions of reflecting friends. One respect-
able and forehanded citizen, now living in Manches-
ter, confesses to having patronized Smith's perse-
verance on this idea, and says he once handed him
a silver dollar, partly in that view and partly to " get
rid of the fellow." Smith's father and elder brothers
generally participated in the manual labors of these
diggings, and theii* example seemed to revive con-
fidence in the sometimes wavering victims of the im-
posture, and also to bring others to their aid.
The subsequent operations on this head were con-
ducted substantially in the mode and manner of the
first performance, as described, with flight variations
24 MORMONISM ;
in the incantations, and always with the same result —
Smith " almost " getting hold of the money-chest, but
finally losing it by the coincident breaking of the
"spell" through some unforeseen satanic interposi-
tion. By this cause the money would vanish just
at the instant of its coming within -the necromancer's
mortal grasp !
A single instance of Smith's style of conducting
these money-diggings will sufiice for the whole series,
and also serve to illustrate his low cunning, and show
the strange infatuation of the persons who yielded to
his unprincipled designs. Assuming his accustomed
air of mystery on one of the occasions, and pretend-
ing to see by his miraculous stone exactly where the
sought-for chest of money had lodged in its subter-
ranean transits, Smith gave out the revelation that a
"black sheep" would be required as a sacrificial offer-
ing upon the enchanted ground before entering upon
the work of exhumation. He knew that his kind-
hearted neighbor, William Stafford,* who was a listen-
er to his plausible story — a respectable farmer in com-
fortable worldly circumstances — possessed a fine, fat,
black wether, intended for division between his family
use and the village market, and Smith knew, more-
over, that fresh meat was a rarity at his father's home
* Mr. Stafford, beginning in early life, had been for many years
a sailor, and was largely prone to the vagaries and superstitions pe-
culiar to his class. •He was thus an easy victim.
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGKESS. 25
where he lived. The ^scheme succeeded completely.
It was arranged that Mr. Stafford should invest the
wether as his stock in the speculation, the avails of
which were to be equitably shared among the com-
pany engaging in it. At the approach of the ap-
pointed hour at night, the digging fraternity, with
lanterns, and the fattened sheep for the sacrifice, were
conducted by Smith to the place where the treasure
w^as to be obtained. There Smith described a circle
upon the ground around the buried chest, where the
blood of the animal was to be shed as the necessary
condition of his power to secure the glittering gold.
As usual, not a word was to be spoken during the
ceremony, nor until after the prize was brought forth.
All things being thus in readiness, the throat of the
sheep was cut by one of the party according to pre-
vious instructions, the poor animal made to pour its
own blood around the circle, and the excavation en-
tered upon in a vigorous and solemn manner. In this
case the digging was continued for about three hours,
when the " devil " again frustrated the plan exactly in
the same way as on the repeated trials before ! In
the mean time, the elder Smith, aided by one of the
junior sons, had withdrawn the sacrificial carcass and
reduced its flesh to mutton for his family use.
Such is a true account, so far as it goes, of the
long-continued and astonishingly successful career of
vice and deception led by Joseph Smith, Jr., which is
2
26 MOEMONISM :
believed to be ample in detail for tlie object of this
publication. These delusions, persevered in and im-
proved upon from time to time, culminated in 1827
by the great imposture of the pretended finding of the
" ancient metallic plates resembling gold," afterward
translated into the " Golden Bible " or Book of Mor-
mon, as will be explained in subsequent pages.
Numerous traces of the excavations left by Smith
are yet remaining as evidences of his impostures and
the folly of his dupes, though most of them have
become obliterated by the clearing ofi" and tilling
of the lands where they were made.
It is an interesting illustrative fact to be noticed
in the history of Mormonism, as will hereafter be
seen, that the origin of that extraordinary politico-
religious institution is traceable to the insignificant
little stone found in the digging of Mr. Chase's well
in 1819. Such was the acorn of the Mormon oak.
ITS OKIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 27
CHAPTER HI.
Mysterious Stranger— Smith has a remarkable Vision— He assumes
to be a Prophet— Finding of the Golden Bible and Urim and
Thummim — Frightful Phenomenon — Translations — How received
bj the Public.
The fame of Smith's money-digging performances
liad been sounded far and near. The newspapers had
heralded and ridiculed them. The pit-hole memorials
of his treasure explorations were numerous in the sur-
rounding fields and woodlands, attracting the inspec-
tion of the curious, and the wonder of the super-
stitious. The outgivings of " spiritual demonstra-
tions," in various forms and in different parts of the
country, had perhaps contributed in preparing the
fanatical mind for some extraordinary revelation.
Notwithstanding the failure of seven or eight years'
continued efforts for the attainment of the promised
wealth from its hidden earthy deposit, yet " the fools
were not all dead," and the time might have seemed
opportune for the prediction of some marvellous dis-
covery, and for the great " religious " event that was
to follow in the career of Joe Smith !
28 MOEMONISM :
This review comes down to the summer of 1827.
A mysterious stranger now appears at Smith's resi-
dence, and holds private interviews with the far-famed
money-digger. For a considerable length of time no
intimation of the name or purpose of this personage
transpired to the public, nor even to Smith's nearest
neighbors. It was observed by some of them that
his visits were frequently repeated. The sequel of
these private interviews between the stranger and
the money-digger will sufficiently appear hereafter.
About this time Smith had a remarkable vision.
He pretended that, while engaged in secret prayer,
alone in the wilderness, an " angel of the Lord " ap-
peared to him, with the glad tidings that " all his
sins had been forgiven," and proclaiming further that
"all the religious denominations were believing in
false doctrines, and consequently that none of them
were accepted of God as of His Church and King-
dom ; " also that he had received a " promise that the
true doctrine and the fulness of the gospel should at
some future time be revealed to him. Following this,
soon came another angel, (or possibly the same one,)
revealing to him that he was himself to be " the fa-
vored instrument of the new revelation ; " " that the
American Indians were a remnant of the Israelites,
who, after coming to this country, had their prophets
and inspired writings ; that such of their writings as
had not been destroyed were safely deposited in a cer-
ITS OEIGm, ETSE, AND PROGRESS. 29
tain place made known to him, and to him only ; that
they contained revelations in regard to the last days,
and that, if he remained faithful, he would be the cho-
sen prophet to translate them to the world."
In the fall of the same year Smith had yet a more
miraculous and astonishing vision than any preceding
one. He now arrogated to himself, by authority of
" the spirit of revelation," and in accordance with the
previous " promises " made to him, a far higher sphere
in the scale of human existence, assuming to possess
the gift and power of " prophet, seer, and revelator."
On this assumption he announced to his family friends
and the bigoted persons who had adhered to his su-
pernaturalism, that he was " commanded," upon a se-
cretly fixed day and hour, to go alone to a certain
spot revealed to him by the angel, and there take out
of the earth a metallic book of great antiquity in its
origin, and of immortal importance in its consequences
to the world, which was a record, in mystic letters or
characters, of the long-lost tribes of Israel before
spoken of, who had primarily inhabited this conti-
nent, and which no human being besides himself could
see and live ; and the power to translate which to the
nations of the earth was also given to him only, as
the chosen servant of God ! This was substantially,
if not literally, the pretension of Smith, as related by
himself, and repeatedly quoted by his credulous friends
at the time.
30 MOKMOOTSM :
Much pains were taken by the Smith family and
the proj^het's money-digging disciples to give wide
circulation to the wonderful revelation, and in great
gravity to predict its marvellous fulfilment. It is
unknown, however, if the momentous announcement
produced any sensation in the community, though it
is fair to presume that the victims of Smith's former
deceptive practices regarded it with some senousness.
Accordingly, when the appointed hour came, the
prophet, assuming his i^ractised air of mystery, took
in hand his money-digging spade and a large napkin,
and went off in silence and alone in the solitude of the
forest, and after an absence of some three hours, re-
turned, apparently with his sacred charge concealed
within the folds of the napkin. Reminding the family
of the original " command " as revealed to him, strict
injunction of non-intervention and non-inspection was
given to them, under the same terrible penalty as be-
fore denounced for its violation. Conflicting stories
were afterward told in regard to the manner of keep-
ing the book in concealment and safety, which are
not worth repeating, further than to mention that the
first place of secretion was said to be under a heavy
hearthstone in the Smith fimily mansion.
Smith told a frightful story of the display of celes-
tial pyrotechnics on the exposure to his view of th«
sacred book — tlie angel who had led him to the dis-
covery again appearing as liis guide and protector,
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PROGRESS. 31
and confronting ten thousand devils gathered there,
with their menacing sulphureous flame and smoke, to
deter him from his purpose ! This story was rej^eated
and magnified by the believers, and no doubt aided
the experiment upon superstitious minds which event-
uated so successfully. .
Mr. Willard Chase, a carpenter and joiner, was
called upon by Smith and requested to make a strong
chest in which to keep the golden book under lock
and key, in order to prevent the awful calamity that
would follow against the person other than himself
who should behold it with his natural eyes. He
could not pay a shilling for the work, and therefore
proposed to make Mr. Chase a sharer in the profits
ultimately anticipated in some manner not definitely
stated; but the proposition was rejected — the work
was refused on the terms offered. It was understood,
however, that the custodian of the precious treasure
afterward in some way procured a chest for his pur-
pose, which, with its sacred deposit, was kept in a
dark garret of his father's house, where the transla-
tions were subsequently made, as will be explained.
An anecdote touching this subject used to be related
by William T. Hussey and Azel Yandruver. They
were notorious wags, and were intimately acquainted
with Smith. They called as his friends at his resi-
dence, and strongly importuned him for an inspection
of the " golden book," offering to take upon themselves
32 MOEMOJfISM :
the risk of the death-penalty denounced. Of course,
the request could not be complied with; but they
TN^ere permitted to go to the chest witli its OAvner, and
see ichere the thing was, and observe its shape and
size, concealed under a jDiece of thick canvas. Smith,
with his accustomed solemnity of demeanor, positively
persisting in his refusal to uncover it, Hussey became
impetuous, and (suiting his action to his word) ejacu-
lated, " Egad ! I'll see the critter, live or die ! " And
stripping off the cover, a large tile-brick was ex-
hibited. But Smith's fertile imagination w^as equal
to th.e emergency. He claimed that his friends had
been sold by a trick of his ; and " treating" with the
customary whiskey hospitalities, the afiiiir ended in
good-nature. .
With the book was also found, or so pretended, a
huge pair of spectacled in a perfect state of preserva-
tion, or the Uriyn and Thummim^ as afterward in-
* The best attainable definition of the very ancient Urim and
Thummim is quite vague and indistinct. An accepted bibh'cal lexi-
cographer gives the meaning as "light and perfection," or the
"shining and the perfect." The following is quoted from Butter-
worth's Concordance: "There are various conjectures about the
Urim and Thummim, whether they were the stones in the high-
priest's breast-plate, or something distinct from them; which it is
not worth our while to inquire into, since God has left it a secret.
It is evident that the Urim and Thummim were appointed to inquire
of God by, on momentous occasions, and continued in use (as some
think) only till the building of Solomon's Temple, and all conclude
that this was never restored after its destruction."
ITS OKIGm, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 33
terpreted, wIierQby the mystic record was to be
translated and the wonderful dealings of God re-
vealed to man, by the superhuman j^ower of Joe
Smith. This siDcctacle pretension, however, is be-
lieved to have been purely an after-thought, for it
was not heard of outside of the Smith family for a
considerable period- subsequent to the first story. So
in regard to Smith's after-averment, that he had re-
ceived a revelation of the existence of the records in
1823, but was not permitted to touch or mention
them until " the fulness of time " should come for the
great event, this idea was also a secondar}^ invention.
The marvellous metallic book and its accompani-
ment soon became a common topic of conversation,
far and near; but the sacred treasure was not seen by
mortal eyes, save those of the one anointed, until after
the lapse of a year or longer time, when it was found
expedient to have a new revelation, as Smith's bare
word had utterly failed to gain a convert beyond his
original circle of believers. By this amended reve-
lation, the veritable existence of the book was certi-
fied to by eleven witnesses of Smith's selection. It
was then heralded as the Golden Bible, or Book
of Mormon,* and as the beginning of a new gospel
dispensation. Wonderful stories and predictions fol-
* Philologicallv, "Mormon" is probably synonymous with mormo,
which, according to Webster, signifies " bugbear — false terror." At
least, this definition is sufficiently appropriate.
2*
34 MOKMONISM :
lowed in regard to the future "light" and destiny
of the world, but these were for a time very crude
and very conflicting, and therefore scarcely definable
or worth repeating; and they had little attraction
for public notice or curiosity. The reader will be
content with the narration of these things as they ul-
timately took shape and system.
The spot from which the book is alleged to have
been taken, is the yet partially visible pit where the
money speculators had previously dug for another
kind of treasure, which is upon' the summit of wdiat
has ever since been known its "Mormon Hill,"' now
owned by Mr. Anson Robinson, in the toAvn of Man-
chester, New York.
This book of sacred records, after the dispersion
of the first vague reports concerning it, was finally
described by Smith and his echoes as consisting of
metallic leaves or plates resembling gold, bound to-
gether in a volume by three rings running through one
edge of them, the leaves opening like an ordinary paper
book The leaves w^ere about the thickness of common
tin. Each leaf or plate was filled on both sides with
engravings of finely-drawm characters, which resem-
bled Egyptian or other hieroglyphics. The Urim
and Thummim, found with the records, were two
transparent crystals set in the rims of a bow, in the
form of spectacles of enormous size. This constituted
the seer's instrument whereby the records were to be
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PROGEESS. 35
translated and the mysteries of hidden things re-
vealed, and it was to supersede the further use of the
magic stone. The entire sacred acquisition was de-
livered into the hands of the prophet by the heavenly
messenger attending him, amid the awful surround-
ings already stated, after the former had thrown up a
few spadefuls of earth in pursuance of the Lord's
command. Such was Smith's ingenious story at the
time, the characterization of which is left for the
reader.
Translations and inter23retations were now entered
upon by the prophet, and manuscript specimens of
these, with some of the literally transcribed charac-
ters, were shown to people, including ministers and
other gentlemen of learning and influence. These
translations purported to relate to the history of
scattered tribes of the earth, chiefly "ISTephites" and
" Lamanites," who, after the confusion of tongues at
the Tower of Babel, had been directed by the Lord
across the sea to this then wilderness-land, where
they mostly perished by wars among themselves, and
by pestilence and famine, and from whose remnants
sprang our l^orth American Indians. They were an
attempted imitation of the Scripture style of composi-
tion, containing some plagiarisms from the Bible, both
the Old and New Testaments, drawing largely upon
Isaiah and Jeremiah, and taking from Matthew nearly
the whole of Christ's Sermon on the Mount, with
36 MORMONISM :
some alterations. The manuscripts were in the hand-
writing of one Oliver Cowdery, which had been
written down by him, as he and Smith declared, from
the translations, word for word, as made by the latter
with the aid of the mammoth spectacles or Urim and
Thummim, and verbally announced by him from be-
hind a blanket-screen drawn across a dark corner of a
room at his residence — for at this time the original
revelation, limiting to the pro23het the right of seeing
the sacred plates, had not yet been changed, and the
view with the instrument used was even too brilliant
for his own spiritualized eyes in the light ! This was
the story of the first series of translations, which was
always j)ersisted in by the few persons connected
with the business at this early period of its progress.
The single significance of this theory will doubtless
be manifest, when the facts are stated in exj^lanation,
that Smith could not write in a legible hand, and
hence an amanuensis or scribe was necessary. Cow-
dery had been a schoolmaster, and was the only
man in the band who could make a copy for the
printer.
The manifest purpose of exhibiting these manu-
scripts in the manner adopted, was to test the popular
credulity in regard to theii* assumed divine character ;
and also to determine, by the responses that should be
elicited, as to the practicability of carrying out a con-
cocted design of printing the " new Bible." Among
ITS OEIGIN, RISE, AND PEOGEESS. 37
others, Mr. George Crane, of tlie adjoining town of
Macedon, a Quaker of intelligence, property, and high
respectability (now deceased), was called upon by
Smith with several foolscap quires of these so-called
translations, for his perusal and opinion, and also for
his pecuniary aid to get the work through the press.
The impious story, in all its extravagance and garni-
ture, was related to him, to which he quietly listened
to the end. And. then came the answer of the honest
old Quaker, which was such as would, have been
withering to the sensibility of an ordinary impostor —
though Smith was unmoved, by it, for his spirit of de-
termination was never known to yield consentingly
to any adverse human influence. Sternly rebuking
Smith's pretensions, and. denouncing them as in a
high degree blasphemous and wicked, Mr. Crane
kindly but earnestly admonished him, for his* own
good, to desist from his criminal pursuit, warning
him that persistence therein would be certain to end
in his death upon the gallows, or in some equally
ignominious manner. How far this friendly warning
was made prophetic, by the murderous catastrophe
occurring fifteen years afterward, in Illinois, is a ques-
tion respectfully submitted to the reader.
38 MOEMOOTSM :
CHAPTER IV.
Budding of the Mormon Church — Proposed Printing of the Golden
Bible — Martin Harris consults Professor Anthon and Others —
Translations lost — Mysterious Stranger again.
Undaunted by any rebuffs, Prophet Smith per-
sisted in his grand design, and, by the j)ower of his
expanding genius, secured a few devoted followers in
this incipiency of his new revelation — proving that, in
his case, " the prophet " was not w^holly " without
honor " even in his " own country." Here may be
recognized the first budding of the Mormon organiza-
tion, or "Church of Latter-Day Saints."
These pioneer Mormon discij^les, so far as their
names can now be recollected, were as follows, viz. :
Oliver Cowdery, Samuel Lawrence, Martin Harris,
Preserved Harris, Peter Ingersoll, Charles Ford,
George Proj^er and his wife Dolly, of Palmyra;
Ziba Peterson, and Calvin Stoddard and his wife
Sophronia, of Macedon ; Ezra Thayer, of Brighton ;
Luman Walters, of Pultney ville ; Hiram Page, of
ITS ORIGIN, KISE, AND PEOGKESS. 39
Fayette ; David Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Christian
Whitracr, John Whitmer, and Peter Whitmer, Jr., of
Phelps; Simeon Nichols, of Farmington ; William
Stafford, Joshua Stafford, Gad Stafford, David Fish,
Abram Fish, Robert Orr, King H. Quance, John
Morgan, Orrin Ptockwell and his wife Caroline,
Widow Sally Risley, and all the remainder of the
Smith family, of Manchester.
It is believed that this list embraces all the per-
sons residing at or near the prime seat of the Mormon
advent, who from first to last made a profession of be-
lief either in the money-digging or golden bible find-
ing pretensions of Joseph Smith, Jr. ; and probably,
indeed, not more than one-half of these can be said to
have been genuine converts under the one head or the
other. It is to be added in this connection, however,
that a man of the name of Parley P. Pratt, of Lorain
County, Ohio, who, on hearing of the new religion,
after the Mormon book was printed (as he said in ex-
planation of his movement), stopped off a canal-boat
at Palmyra, and at Smith's residence embraced the
Mormon faith, and joined the organization which had
then been imperfectly inaugurated. He was a mem-
ber of an association of anti-sectarians, mostly dis-
senters from different religious denominations, Avhose
place of worship was at Mentor, Ohio. "Rev. Sid-
ney Rigdon" was the regular minister of this con-
gregation ; though Pratt himself had done something
40 MOKMONISM :
iu the way of preaching there and elsewhere, and
was aspiring to still higher position in the clerical
vocation. The latter, with his spiritual guide Rigdon,
afterward went with the first emigrants to Kirtland,
and, continuing his association with the new sect, im-
mediately became a prominent and efficient co-worker
in its priesthood, and was subsequently an important
spoke in the Mormon hierarchy at Salt Lake.*
How many of the preceding list of pioneer " Latter-
Day Saints " at Palmyra and vicinity remained faith-
ful, or took more than the first degree in the new
institution, is now unknown to the writer. It is
recollected that at least a portion, perhaps the ma-
jority of them, became backsliders after a very brief
experience.
The proposition to publish the new revelation
was as yet an adjourned question. Martin Harris
enthusiastically favored it, and he was the man cal-
culated on for the means of payment for the printing.
He was one of the earliest, if not, in truth, the only
real believer. He was a religious monomaniac, read-
ing the Scriptures intently, and could probably repeat
from memory nearly every text of the Bible from be-
ginning to end, giving the chapter and verse in each
case. His superstition and cupidity were both ap-
* The reader, as he pursues this history, will discover the bearing
of the coincidence here referred to, upon the questions of the literary
origin and prime invention of the " Golden Bible."
MARTIW HARRIS.
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 41
pealed to in this matter. Though he unreservedly
gave in his adhesion to the book as of diviue appoint-
ment, he was by no means so prompt in his willing-
ness to hear the whole cost of printing it, for he was
proverbially a covetous, money-loving man, but an
honest and benevolent one. His habit had been to
look out for the best chances in a bargain, and it was
natural that he should desire further opportunity for
examination and consideration, and also for trying his
influence in proselyting — the latter object being with
a view to judging of the question of reimbursement,
should he advance the money required — and he was
accordingly permitted to take the manuscript transla-
tions into his possession. Reading a portion of them
to his wife, a Quakeress of positive qualities, she de-
nounced the whole performance as silly and impious.
His neighbors and friends, whom he importuned and
bored on the subject, uniformly expressed the same
sentiment and belief, and cautioned him against being
imposed upon and defrauded.
But this opposition served only to strengthen ^/
Harris's profession of faith and increase his inclination
to make the printing investment. Yet he evidenced
some method in his madness, for, before doing so, he
sought out the " wisdom of learned men," as he said,
relative to the genuineness of the revelation and dis-
covery. He accordingly procured from Smith some
resemblances of antique characters or hieroglyphics
42 MORMONISM :
purporting to be exact copies from the plates ; which,
together with the translations in his possession, he
carried to New York City, where he sought for them
the interpretation and hibliological scrutiny of such
scholars as Hon. Luther Bradish, Dr. Mitchell, Profes-
sor Anthon, and others. All the gentlemen applied to
were understood to have scouted the whole pretence
as too depraved for serious attention, while commis-
erating the applicant as the victim of fanaticism or
insanity.
Harris, nevertheless, stood firm in his position,
regarding these untoward results merely as "prov-
ing the lack of wisdom" on the part of the reject-
ers, and also as illustrating the truth of his favorite
quotation, that " God hath chosen the foolish things
of the world to confound the wise." This was always
his self-convincing argument in re-plj to similar ad-
versity in his fanatical pursuit.
The following is Professor Anthon's account of
Harris's interview with him, as given and published a
few years afterward. It was addressed in a letter to
a friend in reply to inquiries, and dated
" New York, February 17, 1834.
"Some years ago, a plain, apparently simple-
hearted farmer, called on me with a note from Dr.
Mitchell, of our city, now dead, requesting me to de-
cipher, if possible, the paper which the farmer would
ITS OKIGIN, EISI3, AND PEOGEESS. 43
hand nie. Upon examining the paper in question, I
soon came to the conclusion that it was all a trick —
perhips a hoax. When I asked the person who
brought it how he obtained the writing, he gave me
the following account: A 'golden book,' consisting
of a number of plates fastened together by wires of
the same material, had been dug up in the northern
part of the State of New York, and along with it an
enormous pair of ' spectacles ! ' These spectacles were
so large, that, if any person attempted to look through
them, his two eyes would look through one glass
only — the spectacles in question being altogether too
large for the human face. ' Whoever,' he said, ' ex-
amined the plates through the glasses, was enabled
not only to read them, but fully to understand their
meaning.'
" All this knowledge, however, was confined to a
young man, who had the trunk containing the book
and spectacles in his sole possession. This young
man was placed behind a curtain, in a garret in a
farm-house, and being thus concealed from view, he
put on the spectacles occasionally, or, rather, looked
through one of the glasses, deciphered the characters
in the book, and haying committed some of them to
paper, handed copies from behind the curtain to those
who stood outside. Xot a word was said about their
being deciphered by the 'gift of God.' Every thing
in this way was effected by the large pair of specta-
44: moe:sionism :
cles. The farmer added, that he had been requested
to contribute a sum of money toward the publication
of the ' goklen book,' the contents of which would,
as he was told, produce an entire change in the world,
and save it from ruin. So urgent had been these soli-
citations, that he intended selling his farm and giving
the amount to those who wished to publish the plates.
As a last precautionary step, he had resolved to come
to New York and obtain the opinion of the 'learned'
about the meaning of the paper which he had brought
with him, and which had been given him as a part of
the contents of the book
"The paper in question was, in fact, a singular
scroll. It consisted of all kinds of singular characters,
disposed in columns, and had evidently been prepared
by some person who had before him at the time a book
containing various alphabets ; Greek and Hebrew let-
ters, crosses and flourishes, Roman letters inverted
or placed sideways, were arranged and placed in per-
pendicular columns, and the whole ended in a rude
delineation of a circle, divided into various compart-
ments, arched with various strange marks, and evi-
dently copied after the Mexican calendar, given by
Humboldt, but copied in such a way as not to betray
the source whence it was derived. I am thus par-
ticular as to the contents of the paper, inasmtuch as I
have frequently conversed with my friends on the
subject since the Mormon excitement began, and well
ITS OEIGIN-, RISE, AND PEOGEESS. 45
remember that the paper contained any thing else but
' Egyptian hieroglyphics.'
" Yours respectfully,
" CHAKLES ANTHON."
Harris appears not to have presented the " transla-
tions " with the hieroglyphics to Professor Anthon, or
if so, the immaterial fact had left too slight an im-
pression for his recollection at the time of writing the
above statement.
The pursuer after knowledge returned home, con-
firmed rather than shaken in his belief; for he had
taken the sensible conclusions of the "learned men"
he had seen by the rule of contraries, declaring in a
boastful spirit that God had enabled him, an un-
learned man as he was, to " confound worldly wis-
dom." He had apparently become seized with the
Golden Bible mania beyond redemption. It was his
constant theme wherever he appeared, rendering him,
by his readings and commentaries, an object both of
sympathy and dread to his friends and all whom he
met.
As might have been anticipated, Harris's wife be-
came exceedingly annoyed and disgusted with what
she called her husband's " craziness." She foresaw,
as she thought, that if he incurred the printing lia-
bility, as he had avowed to her his purpose of doing,
the event Avould be the ruin of himself and family.
44 moe:monism :
cles. The farmer added, that he had been requested
to contribute a sum of money toward the publication
of the ' goklen book,' the contents of which Avould,
as he was told, produce an entire change in the world,
and save it from ruin. So urgent had been these soli-
citations, that he intended selling his farm and giving
the amount to those who wished to publish the plates.
As a last precautionary step, he had resolved to come
to Kew York and obtain the opinion of the ' learned '
about the meaning of the paper which he had brought
with him, and which had been given him as a part of
the contents of the book
"The paper in question was, in fact, a singular
scroll. It consisted of all kinds of singular characters,
disposed in columns, and had evidently been prepared
by some person who had before him at the time a book
containing various alphabets ; Greek and HebrcAV let-
ters, crosses and flourishes, Roman letters inverted
or placed sideways, were arranged and placed in per-
pendicular columns, and the whole ended in a rude
delineation of a circle, divided into various compart-
ments, arched with various strange marks, and evi-
dently copied after the Mexican calendar, given by
Humboldt, but copied in such a way as not to betray
the source Avhence it was derived. I am thus par-
ticular as to the contents of the paper, inasmuch as I
have frequently conversed with my friends on the
subject since the Mormon excitement began, and well
ITS OKIGm, RISE, AND PEOGEESS. 45
remember that the paper contained any thing else but
' Egyptian hieroglyphics.'
" Yours respectfully,
" CHARLES ANTHON."
Harris appears not to have presented the " transla-
tions " with the hieroglyphics to Professor Anthon, or
if so, the immaterial fact had left too slight an im-
pression for his recollection at the time of writing the
above statement.
The pursuer after knowledge returned home, con-
firmed rather than shaken in his belief; for he had
taken the sensible conclusions of the "learned men"
he had seen by the rule of contraries, declaring in a
boastful spirit that God had enabled him, an un-
learned man as he was, to " confound worldly wis-
dom." He had apparently become seized with the
Golden Bible mania beyond redemption. It was his
constant theme wherever he appeared, rendering him,
by his readings and commentaries, an object both of
sympathy and dread to his friends and all whom he
met.
As might have been anticipated, Harris's wife be-
came exceedingly annoyed and disgusted with what
she called her husband's " craziness." She foresaw,
as she thought, that if he incurred the printing lia-
bility, as he had avowed to her his purpose of doing,
the event would be the ruin of himself and family.
48 MOEMONISM :
y
CHAPTER V.
New Translations— The Prophet's Cave— Printing Contract— Book
completed— Harris " pays the Printer."
The loss of the first translations cliecked for a
time tlie progress of Mormon events. But Smith,
Harris, and their abiding associates were seemingly-
undismayed. Some six months passed when the an-
nouncement was given out that a new and coraj^lete
translation of the Book of Mormon had been made by
the prophet, which was ready for the press. In the
interim the stranger before spoken of had again been
seen at Smith's ; and the prophet had been away from
home, may-be to repay the former's visits. The bear-
ing of these circumstances upon any important ques-
tion can only be left to reasonable conjecture in refer-
ence to the subsequent developments. The second
manuscripts, like the first, were in Cowdery's hand-
writing.
The work of translation diis time had been done
in the recess of a dark artificial cave, which Smith
had caused to be dug in the east side of the forest-hill
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PROGRESS. 49
near his residence, now owned by Mr. Amos Miner.
At least such was one account given out by the Mor-
mon fraternity ; though another version was, that the /
prophet continued to pursue his former mode of trans-
lating behind the curtain at his house, and only went
into the cave to pay his spiritual devotions and seek
the continued favor of Divine Wisdom. His stays in
the cave varied from fifteen minutes to an hour or
over — the entrance nftanwhile being guarded by one
or more of his disciples. This ceremony scarcely
attracted the curiosity of outsiders, though it was
occasionally witnessed by men and boys living near
the scene.
This excavation was at the time said to be one
hundred and sixty feet in extent, though that is prob-
ably an exaggeration. It had a substantial door of
two-inch plank, secured by a corresponding lock.
From the lapse of time and natural causes the cave
has been closed for years, very little mark of its
former existence remaining to be seen.
Encouraged by the continued favoring hallucination
of Harris, an active canvass was now commenced by
the Mormons for the printing. Harris was the only /
man of property or credit known in all Mormondom ;
and, as will appear, he happened to be exactly the ap-
propriate subject for the prophet's designs ; for with-
out his timely aid and pecuniary sacrifice the Golden
Bible would probably have remained forever an un-
50 MOEMONISM :
published romance. And, as has already been inti-
mated, lie alone was depended upon for the means to
pay for its printing, for no other man of the whole
Mormon tribe could have raised a dollar of his own
money for that or any other object. He was a pros-
perous, independent farmer, strictly upright in his
business dealings, and, although evidencing good
qualifications in the affairs of his industrial calling,
yet he was the slave of the peculiar religious fanat-
icism controlling his mental organization. " Marvel-
lousness " being his predominating phrenological de-
velopment, he was noted for the betrayal of vague
superstitions — a belief in dreams, ghosts, hobgoblins,
" special providences," terrestrial visits of angels, the
interposition of "devils" to afflict sinful men, etc.
He was the son of Nathan Harris, an early settler
in Palmyra, and aged about forty-three years. His
family consisted of a wife, one son, and tv/o daugh-
ters.
This was the position of Martin Harris in the com-
munity at this important turning-period in his life and
career. In June, 1829, Smith the prophet, his brother
Hyrum, Cowdery the scribe, and Harris the believer,
applied to Mr. Egbert B. Grandin, then publisher of
the Wai/72e Sentinel at Palmyra (now deceased), for
his price to do the work of one edition of three thou-
sand copies. Harris offered to pay or secure payment
if a bargain should be made. Only a few sheets of
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PROGRESS. 51
the manuscript, as a specimen, with the title-page,
were exhibited at this time, though the whole number
of folios was stated, whereby could be made a calcu-
lation of the cost. Mr. Grandin at once expressed his
disinclination to entertain the proposal to print at any
price, believing the whole affair to be a wicked im-
posture and a scheme to defraud Mr. Harris, who was
his friend, and whom he advised accordingly. This
admonition was kindly but firmly resisted by Harris,
and resented with assumed pious indignation by the
Smiths, Cowdery taking little or no part in the con-
versation. Some further parleying followed, Harris
resolutely persisting in his deafness to the friendly
expressions of regard from Mr. Grandin, and also
from several other well-dis230sed neighbors happening
to be present at the interview, who vainly united in
the effort to dissuade him from his purpose. After-
ward, however, it was thought Harris became for a
time in some degree staggered in his confidence ; but
nothing could be done in the way of printing without
his aid, and so the prophet persevered in his spell-
binding influence and seductive arts, as will be seen,
with ultimate success. Further interviews followed,
Grandin being earnestly importuned to reconsider his
opinion and determination. He was assured by Har-
ris, that if he refused to do the work, it would be pro-
cured elsewhere. And the subject was temporarily
dropped, except that Grandin complied with Harris's
62 MOKMONISM :
request for an approximate estimate of the cost of the
proposed edition.
Immediately thereafter, the same Mormon party,
or a portion of them, applied to Mr. Thurlow Weed,
of the Anti-Masonic Inquirer at Rochester, from
whom they met a similar repulse. Mr. Weed's own
words in regard to the manuscript and the printing
proposal are : " After reading a few chapters, . it
seemed such a jumble of unintelligible absurdities,
that we refused the work, advising Harris not to
mortgage his farm and beggar his family." Mr. Elihu
F. Marshall, a book publisher, also at Rochester, was
then applied to, and he gave his terms for the print-
ing and binding of the book, with his acceptance of
the proffered mode of security for the payment.
Whereupon, the "saints" returned to Palmyra,
and renewed their request to Mr. Grandin, reassuring
him that the work was to be done at any rate, and
pleading that they would be saved much incon-
venience and cost of travel to have the printing done
at Palmyra, where they lived, especially as the manu-
scripts were to be delivered and the proof- sheets ex-
amined daily by them at the printing-office.
It was upon this statement of the facts, and in this
view of the case, that Mr. Grandin, on taking the ad-
vice of several discreet, fair-minded neighbors, finally
reconsidered his course of policy, and entered into
contract for the printing and binding of five thousand
ITS ORIGm, EISE, AND PKOGKESS. 63
copies of the Book of Mormon at the price of |3,000,
taking Harris's bond and mortgage as offered in se-
curity for payment. The contract was faithfully and
satisfactorily fulfilled by both parties, and the book in
its entire edition as bargained for was completed and
delivered early in the summer of 1830. ^
In the beginning of the printing the Mormons
professed to hold their manuscripts as "sacred," and
insisted upon maintaining constant vigilance for their
safety during the progress of the work, each morning
carrying to the printing-office the instalment required
for the day, and withdrawing the same at evening.
No alteration from copy in any manner was to be
made. These things were " strictly commanded," as
they said. Mr. John H. Gilbert, as printer, had the
chief operative trust of the type-setting and press-
work of the job. After the first day's trial he found
the manuscripts in so very imperfect a condition, es-
pecially in regard to grammar, that he became un-
willing further to obey the " command," and so an-
nounced to Smith and his party ; when, finally, npon
much friendly expostulation, he was given a limited
discretion in correcting, which was exercised in the
particulars of syntax, orthography, punctuation, capi-
talizing, paragraphing, etc. Many errors under these
heads, nevertheless, escaped correction, as appear in
the first edition of the printed book. Very soon, too
— after some ten days — the constant vigilance by the
/
54 MORMONISM :
MormoDS over the manuscripts was relaxed by reason
of the confidence they came to repose in the printers.
Mr. Gilbert has now in his possession a complete
copy of the book in the original sheets, as laid off by
him from the press in working.
It may be due to the memory of Mr. Grandin, in
relation to this Golden Bible printing contract, to
mention the fact that Mrs. Harris, who had so stren-
uously objected to her husband's fanatical course,
fully conceded the propriety of Mr. Grandin's action
under the circumstances as they existed.
Meanwhile, Harris and his wife had separated by
mutual arrangement, on account of her persistent un-
belief in Mormonism and refusal to be a j)arty to the
mortgage. The family estate was divided, Harris
giving her about eighty acres of the farm, with a
comfortable house and other property as her share of
the assets ; and she occupied this property until the
time of her death. The main farm and homestead,
about one hundred and fifty acres of land, was re-
tained by himself, the mortgage covering only this
portion ; but Mormonism, more than farming or other
business, ever afterward engaged his attention, and
this was the beginning of adversity which ultimately
reduced him to poverty.
The farm mortgaged was sold by Harris in 1831
at priA^ate sale, not by foreclosure, and a sufiiciency
of the avails went to pay Grandin — though it is pre-
sumed Harris might have paid the $3,000 without the
sale of the farm. This was among the best properties
of the kind in the town. Most of it, including the
homestead portion, is the same now owned by Mr.
Thomas Chapman, a mile and a half north of the vil-
lage of Palmyra,
As will be seen, Harris was led to believe that the
book would be a profitable speculation for him, and
very likely in this may be traced his leading motive
for taking the venture. He v/as vouchsafed the secu-
rity of a "special revelation" commanding that the
new Bible should in no instance be sold at a less price
than " ten shillings," and that he himself should have
the exclusive right of sale, with all the avails — the
only purpose of the Mormon saints being the unselfish
one to " get the great light before the world for the
salvation of mankind ! " Indeed, he figured up the
profits with all the certainty of their realization, that
the most enthusiastic calculator would feel in " count-
ing his chickens before they are hatched." Like thou-
sands of fortunes made on paper, this process by Har-
ris was an easy matter, thus : 5,000 books at $1.25
per book, $6,250. First cost, $3,000. Showing a clear
speculation of over one hundred per cent, upon the
investment !
In October following (1829), the printing was con-
siderably advanced, and the ultimate issue of the
Book of Mormon had become a fixed fact. The 2:>i'int-
56 MOEMONISM :
ing was done upon a hand-press, and the type of one
form had to be distributed before another could be set
up ; and of course this will account for the tardiness
of the work. But the first and second books of
" Nephi," and some other portions of the forthcoming
revelation, were printed in sheets ; — and armed Avith a
copy of these, Smith commenced other preparations
for a mission to Pennsylvania, where he had some
relatives residing, and where the before-mentioned
"Rev. Sidney Rigdon " was then residing or tempo-
rarily sojourning. His wardrobe needed replenishing,
and Harris, wdio was abundantly able to do as he did,
and withal counting on his prospective profits in the
bible speculation, procured for him a new black suit,
remarking to the merchant of whom he bought the
cloth, that as the prophet was going on a mission to
preach the new gospel, it was necessary that he should
"appear comely before men;" and consequently or-
dered the best pattern in the store. Mr. David S.
Aldrich, now a prominent dry-goods merchant in Pal-
myra, sold the cloth as a clerk at that time. The re-
sult was, that in November, Smith went to Northern
Pennsylvania, as previously appointed, w^here he mar-
ried the daughter of Isaac Hale, and was baptized
after the Mormon ritual — Rigdon being the " match-
maker" and the ofiiciating "clergyman" in these cele-
brations. Mr. Hale, the father-in-law, never became
a Mormon.
ITS OEIGIN, KISE, AND PROGEESS. 57
Smith soon returned to Palmyra, to complete his
grand design, having made on this occasion, so far as
known, no sensation as a preacher, nor any progress
in his proselyting mission beyond his nuptial capture.
3*
58 MOEMONISM :
CHAPTER VI.
Publication of the Mormon Bible — Blooming of the Church of Latter-
Day Saints— Its Patriarch and President — Characteristic Anec-
dote— Failure of "Golden Bible" Speculation.
The newly revealed gospel having been opened to
the world in a printed book, Prophet Smith and his
disciples proceeded to a more perfect organization of
their church for its practice and dissemination. This
ceremony, conducted with aj^parent seriousness by
the jorophet, suj^ported on the right and left by Cow-
dery and Harris — of which it is now too late to give
the full particulars from memory — took jDlace in the
dwelling-house of Joseph Smith, Sr., in the month
of June, 1830. There was no praying, singing, or
preaching attempted, but Joseph gave various read-
ings and interpretations of the new bible. The senior /
Smith was installed " Patriarch and President of the
Church of Latter-Day Saints ; " while Cowdery and J
Harris were nominated vicegerents to the prophet, or
dignitaries of equivalent import, and a limited com-
mission of priesthood and prophecy was conferred
ITS OKIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 59
upon them "by the prophet, accompanied by tlie "lay-
ing on of hands " and other ceremonious obser\^ances,
adding great "promises" of future spiritual endow-
ment, to depend in an essential manner on their fidelity
and efficiency in the trust already reposed in them.
The participants generally in this incipient church
inauguration were the individuals named as the pio-
neer saints in a preceding chapter, with perhaps few
changes pro and con. The rite of baptism by im-
mersion v/as administered by the prophet to Cowdery
and Harris at their particular request — a pool for that
purpose having been created by constructing a dam
across the brook near the place of meeting ; and then
the other baptisms on this occasion were conducted by
Cowdery, including in these benefits both the aged
parents of the revelator, Page, Mrs. Rockwell, Dolly
Proper, and several of the Whitmer brothers. So far
as can be recollected of the proceedings, as verbally
reported at the time, no others were then baptized ;
but afterward this baptismal service was extended to
all the saints who had not already been the favored
subjects of that ritual, Cowdery continuing to officiate
in these solemnities.
The prophet himself was not baptized in this in-
stance, the explanation of the omission being, as
stated by some of the faithful, that he was elevated
far above " worldly baptism " by reason of his " spirit-
ual sphere ; " but another account — doubtless the ac-
y
y
vl
J
CO MOEMONISM :
ceptecl one — assigned as the reason in the case that he
had previously received the ordinance in Pennsylvania
by the ministration of " Brother Rigdon," and was the
first Mormon baptized since the times of the primitive
Nephites.
A few days after this preliminary launching of the
Mormon ship Zion — this primeval foundation of the
Mormon theocracy — some ten or twelve of the saints
went to JJ^^^ette, in an adjoining county, where similar
observances were had in the formation of a church.
There were about thirty persons in attendance on this
occasion, believers and spectators, and a number of
new converts were reported, Cowdery again j^erform-
ing the baptismal service. But^Hnally, it was found
that the prophet's own country was an unfavorable
locality for success in this wonderful religious specu-
lation ; the new gospel was held in light repute by the
" Gentile " people ; conversions did not come up to the
anticipations of the leaders ; and in the course of the
same year these pioneer Mormons emigrated to Ohio.
Now, let the reader's attention be carried back to
the commencement of the Golden Bible publication.
The book, as a money-making enterj^rise, fell dead be-
fore the public. As a religious demonstration, it was
received by the community as "stale, flat, and ful-
some." It w^as repulsive to the popular common-
sense, and, beyond the minds of its preexistent devo-
tees, simply awakened contempt and ridicule. It
ITS OEIGm, KISE, AND PROGRESS. 61
found no buyers, or but very few. So that the glit-
tering visions of Harris and others, who might have
thought as he had done, seemed to turn out as illusory
as had been those of Smith's money-digging dupes.
Hence another '' command " became necessary in re-
gard to the sale of the book, after a few weeks' faith-
ful but unsuccessful trial of the market by Harris as a
monopolist salesman.* This was easily called down
by Smith in favor of his patriarch father. Time
passed, and yet the disappointment was un alleviated.
The patriarch having been permitted by this changed
revelation, with the consent of Harris, to appropriate
a portion of the avails of sales toward his family
necessities, he effected some sales, chiefly in barter
trades, on accommodating terms for the purchasers of
the books, always nominally maintaining the revealed
price of ten shillings, to avoid the awful penalty of
"instant death" for any departure from it. Pedes-
*'Harris was proverbially a peaceful as well as an honest man.
He was slow to retaliate an offence. The following anecdote will show
what manner of man he was. Urging the sale of the book with pertina-
cious confidence in the genuineness of the Smith revelation, he fell into
debate about its character with a neighbor of an irascible tempera-
ment. His opponent became angry, and struck him a severe blow
upon the right side of his face. Instantly turning toward the assail-
ant the other cheek, he quoted the Christian maxim, reading it from
the book in his hand, page 481 (as it also appears in Matthew) :
""Whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the
other also."
62 MOEMONISM :
trian peddling jaunts were made in the neigliboring
villages and surrounding country, and books peddled
off by him in exchange for various articles of farmers'
produce and shop merchandise, such as " wouldn't
come amiss for family use in hard times." In this
way considerable improvement was made in the old
"saint's" exchequer. Harris, meanwhile, seemed to
stand firm in his adhesion to the book's divinity, and
always had at his tongue's end an amplitude of scrip-
tural and Mormonic quotations of " promises," giving
satisfactory assurance of his ultimate pecuniary and
spiritual salvation.
Many appropriate incidents might be related from
the memory of individuals yet livmg at the original
scene of this blooming of the Mormon Church, illus-
trative of the shallowness of the great imposture ; but
which, given in detail, would surfeit the reader's curi-
osity. A single anecdote will sufiice to show the
degree of sincerity attached to the pretended " com-
mandment price" of the book.
The Patriarch and President of the Mormon
Church was now preparing to remove with his family
to Ohio, where the Prophet Joseph and his brother
Hyrum, with others of the faith, had already preceded
them, and it was necessary to procure some articles
of outfit. In pursuance of this object, he took a
basket of "bibles" in his hand and Avalked to Pal-
myra village, where he had usually done his small
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PEOGEESS. 63
traffic, and where sundry unadjusted little scores
were ready to confront him, which his overplus book
avails and other resources had been insufficient to
liquidate. By the then prevailing legal system for
the collection of debts (residing, as he did, over the
county line from Palmyra), he made himself liable to
suit by warrant and also detention in imprisonment
for non-payment. But necessity being his master, he
had taken the incautious venture, and soon found
himself in the constable's custody at the suit of a
creditor for a small book account. The parties ap-
peared before A. R. Tiffany, Esq., a justice of the"
peace for Wayne County, by whom the warrant had
been issued. After some preliminary parleying by
the debtor, he invited and enjoyed- a private inter-
view with the creditor in an adjoining room. The
debt and costs had now reached the aggregate of
|5.63. The embarrassments in the case, after some
brief discussion, were found to be of a difficult
nature. At last, laying the good-natured claimant
under strict confidential injunction, and referring
v>^ith solemn air to the " command " by which he was
empowered to sell his Mormon work only at the price
of $1.25 per copy, the crafty "patriarch" proposed,
nevertheless, on the express condition that his per-
fidy should not be exposed, the offer of seven books
in full for the demand, being a fraction more than
eighty cents apiece. The joke was relished as too
64 MOEMONISM :
good to go unpatronized, and thougli tlie books were
not regarded as possessing any value, the claimant,
more in a spirit of mischief than otherwise, accepted
the compromise accordingly. The finale was, that
the Mormon saint was permitted to slip home from a
side door, to avoid like importunities from other cred-
itors, and it is believed this was his last appearance
in Palmyra by daylight.
Such was the advent, and such the popular recep-
tion of the Book of Mormon, and the Church of the
Latter-Day Saints founded thereon as its corner-stone,
at the place of their professed origin. The book has
since gone through many editions in the different
languages of the civilized world. The title-page is as
follows :
"THE
"BOOK or MOEMON;
"an account "WRITTEN BY THE HAND OF MORMON, UPON PLATES .
TAKEN FROM THE PLATES OF NEPHI.
"Wherefore it is an abridgment of the Eecord of the people of
Nephi ; and also of the Lamanites ; written to the Lamanites,
which are a remnant of the House of Israel ; and also to Jew and
Gentile ; written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit
of Prophecy and of Revelation. Written, and sealed up, and hid
up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed ; to come forth
by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof;
sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come
forth in due time by the way of Gentile ; the interpretation thereof
by the gift of God : an abridgment taken from the Book of Ether.
" Also, which is a Record of the People of Jared, which were scattered
at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people when
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PROGRESS. 65
they were building a tower to get to Heaven ; which is to show
unto the remnant of the House of Israel how great things the
Lord hath done for their fathers ; and that they may know the
covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever ; and also
to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ,
the External God, manifesting Himself unto all nations. And
now if there be fault, it be the mistake of men ; wherefore con-
demn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the
judgment-seat of Christ.
"By Joseph Smith, Junior,
" Author and Proprietor.
" Palmyra :
" Printed by E. B. Grandin, for the Author.
" 1830."
In revised editions as printed at Nauvoo and Salt
Lake, the prima facie inconsistency of styling Smitli
the " Author and Proprietor " of the book, as above
seen to have been originally assumed, is removed by
denominating him as "Translator" only. The first
edition also contained a precautionary "preface" in
reference to the lost translations before mentioned,
which is omitted in the revised editions. It is in the
following words :
" To THE Reader —
" As many false reports have been circulated re-
specting the following work, and also many unlawful
measures . taken by evil-designing persons to destroy
me, and also the work, I would inform you that I
translated, by the gift and power of God, and caused
to be written, one hundred and sixteen pages, the
66 MOEMONISM :
whicli I took from the Book of LeM, wMch was an
account abridged from the plates of Lelii, by the
hand of Mormon ; which said account, some person or
persons have stolen and kept from me, notwithstand-
ing my utmost exertions to recover it again — and
being commanded of the Lord that I should not
translate the same over again, for Satan had put it
into their hearts to temj^t the Lord their God, by
altering. the words, that they did read contrary from
that which I translated and caused to be written ; and
if I should bring forth the same words again, or, in
other words, if I should translate the same over again,
they would publish that which they had stolen, and
Satan would stir up the hearts of this generation, that
they might not receive this work: but behold, the
Lord said unto me, I will not suffer that Satan shall
accomplish his evil design in this thing; therefore
thou shalt translate from the plates of ]^ej)hi, until
ye come to that which ye have translated, Avhich ye
have retained ; and behold, ye shall publish it as the
record of K'ephi ; and thus I will confound those who
have altered my words. I will not suffer that they
shall destroy my w^ork; yea, I will show unto them
that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the
devil. "Wherefore, to be obedient unto the command-
ments of God, I have, through His grace and mercy,
accomplished that which he hath commanded me re-
specting this thing. I would also inform you that
ITS ORIGIN-, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 67
the plates of which hath been spoken, were found in
the township of Manchester, Ontario County, IsTew
York.
" THE AUTHOR."
This Mormon revelation is divided into various
hooks, which are here given in the order as they ap-
pear in the printed work, viz. : " The First Book of
Nephi, his Reign and Ministry," seven chapters;
" The Second Book of Nephi," fifteen chapters ; " The
Book of Jacob, the Brother of JS'ephi," five chapters ;
*'The Book of Enos," one chapter; "The Book of
Jarom," one chapter ; " The Book of Omni," one
chapter; "The Words of Mormon," one chapter;
"The Book of Mosiah," thirteen chapters; "The
Book of Alma, the Son of Alma," thirty chapters;
"The Book of Heleman," five chapters; "The Book
of Nephi, the Son of Nephi, which was the Son of
Helaman," fourteen chaj)ters; "The Book of l^ephi,
which is the Son of Kephi, one of the Disciples of
Jesus Christ," one chapter ; " Book of Mormon," four
chapters ; " Book of Ether," six chapters ; " Book of
Moroni," ten chapters. The volume contains five
hundred and eighty-eight pages, common duodecimo,
small pica letter.
MOEMONISM
CHAPTER Vn.
Modified Revelation— Testimony of Witnesses— A Prophet that was
not a Prophet — Sidney Rigdon the first regular Preacher of the
new Gospel — His Sermon — Calvin Stoddard receives a " Call" —
Mormon Emigration to Ohio.
Smith's first " command " limiting to his eye alone
the mortal sight of the metallic records, except on the
penalty of "instant death" denounced against the
daring of any other human being, failed in its ap-
parent purpose. It was treated as " Joe's nonsense "
outside of the immediate circle of his small band of
followers, as were all his stories of visions and of the
*' golden " book. Hence a modification of the revelation
seemingly became necessary to secure the public ac-
ceptance of this miraculous spiritual disj^ensation.
Exactly when this change was reached, did not gen-
erally transpire, or at least it is not within remem-
brance, though for months antecedent to the publica-
tion of the book, the conclusive " testimony of wit-
nesses " to the actual sight and veritable existence of
" the i>lates which contained the record," was verbally
SIDNEY RIGDON IN HIS FIRST MORMON SERMON.
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGKESS. 69
proclaimed by Smith and others in corroboration of
the prophetic pretension. This circumstance explains
the otherwise apparent inconsistency of the following
allegations of eleven witnesses, which are aj^pended
to the printed volume :
" TTie Testimony of three Witnesses :
" Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues,
and people, unto whom this work shall come, that w^e,
through the grace of God the Father and our Lord
Je-sus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this
record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and
also of the Lamanites, his brethren, and also of the
people of Jared, which came from the tower of which
hath been spoken ; and we also know that they have
been translated by the gift and power of God, for His
voice hath declared it unto us ; wherefore we know
of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify
that we have seen the engravings which are upon the
plates ; and they have been shown unto us by the
power of God, and not of man. And we declare with
words of soberness, that an angel of God came down
from Heaven, and he brought and laid before our
eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the en-
gravings thereon ; and we know that it is by the
grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ,
that we beheld and bare record that these things are
true ; and it is marvellous in our eyes : nevertheless,
70 MOEMONISM :
the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should
bear record of it ; Avherefore, to be obedient unto the
commandments of God, we bear testimony of these
things. And we know that if we are faithful in
Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all
men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat
of Christ, and shall dwell with Him eternally in the
heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God.
Amen. OLIVER COWDERY,
DAYID WHITMER,
MARTIN HARRIS."
" And also tJie Testimony of eight Witnesses :
" Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues,
and people, unto whom this work shall come, that
Joseph Smith, Jr., the Author and Proprietor of this
work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath
been spoken, which have the appearance of gold ; and
as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated
we did handle with our hands ; and we also saw the
engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance
of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And
this we bear record, with words of soberness, that the
said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and
hefted, and know of a surety, that the said Smith has
got the plates of which we have spoken. And we
give our names unto the world, to witness unto tlie
71
world that which we have seen : and. we lie not, God
bearing witness of it.
CHRISTIAN WHITMER,
JACOB WHITMER,
PETER WHITMER, Jr.,
JOHN V/HITMER,
HIRAM PAGE,,
JOSEPH SMITH, Sr.,
HYRUM SMITH,
SAMUEL H. SMITH."
How to reconcile the act of Harris in signing his
name to such a statement, in view of the character
of honesty which had always been conceded to him,
could never be easily explained. In reply to unchar-
itable suggestions of his neighbors, he used to prac-
tise a good deal of his characteristic jargon about
" seeing with the spiritual eye," and the like. As re-
gards the other witnesses associated with Harris, their
averments in this or any other matter could excite no
more surprise than did those of Smith himself.
It is interesting to quote the standard of Mormon
authority for the justification of Smith's changed
revelation which opened the way for these witnesses
to sustain the existence of the metallic records. Here
it is, as recorded in the eleventh chapter of the " Sec-
ond Book of IsTephi" :
" And it shall come to pass, that the Lord God
shall bring forth unto you, the words of a book, and
72 MOKMONISM :
they shall be the words of them which have slum-
bered. And behold the book shall be sealed : and in
the book shall be a revelation from God, from the be-
ginning of the world to the ending thereof. Where-
fore, because of the things which are sealed uj), the
things which are sealed shall not be delivered in the
day of the wickedness and abominations of the peo-
ple. Wherefore the book shall be kept from them.
But the book shall be delivered unto a man, and he
shall deliver the words of the book, which are the
words of those who have slumbered in the dust ; and
he shall deliver these words unto another ; but the
words which are sealed he shall not deliver, neither
shall he deliver the book. For the book shall be
sealed by the power of God, and the revelation which
was sealed, shall be kept in the book until the own
due time of the Lord, that they may come forth ; for,
behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of
the world unto the end thereof And the day cometh
that the words of the book which were sealed shall
be read upon the house-tops ; and they shall be read
by the power of Christ : and all things shall be re-
vealed unto the children of men which ever have been
among the children of men, and which ever will be,
even unto the end of the earth. Wherefore, at that
day when the book shall be delivered unto the man
of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from
the eyes of the world, tbat the eyes of none shall be-
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PROGRESS. 73
hold it, save it be that three witnesses shall behold it,
by the power of God, besides him to whom the book
shall be delivered ; and they shall testify to the truth
of the book and the things therein. And there is
none other which shall view it, save it be a iew, ac-
cording to the will of God, to bear testimony of His
word unto the children of men : for the Lord " God
hath said, that the words of the faithful should speak
as if it were from the dead. Wherefore, the Lord
God will proceed to bring forth the words of the
book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as
seemeth Him good, will He establisli His word ;
and woe be unto him that rejecteth the Word of
God.
" But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord
God shall say unto him to whom He shall deliver the
book, Take these words which are not sealed, and de-
liver them to another, that he may show them unto
the learned, saying : Read this, I pray tbee. And the
learned shall say. Bring hither the book, and I will
read them; and now, because of the glory of the
world, and to get gain, will they say this,^ and not for
the glory of God. And the man shall say, I cannot
bring the book, for it is sealed. Then shall the
learned say, I cannot read it. Wherefore it shall
come to pass that the Lord God will deliver again
the book and the words thereof to him that is not
learned ; and the man that is not learned shall say, T
74 MOEMONISM :
am not learned. Then sliall the Lord God say unto
him, The learned shall not read them, for they have re-
jected them, and I am able to do mine own work ;
wherefore thoii shalt read the words which I shall
give unto thee. Touch not the things which are
sealed, for I will bring them forth in mine own due
time : for I will show unto the children of men that I
am able to do mine own work. Wherefore, when
thou hast read the words which I have commanded
thee, and obtained the witnesses which I have prom-
ised unto thee, then shalt thou seal up the book again,
and hide it up unto me, that I may preserve the words
which thou hast not read, iintil I shall see fit in mine
own wisdom to reveal all things unto the children of
men. For behold, I am God ; and I am a God of
miracles ; and I will show unto the world that I am
the same yesterday, to-day, and forever ; and I work
not among the children of men, save it be according
to their faith."
Another theory in regard to the plates and hiero-
glyphics claimed to be found by Smith may possibly
be explained in this way. In the list of American an-
tiquities found in the Western country, and preserved
in tlie museums of antiquarians, are what are called
glyplis^ consisting of curious metallic plates covered
with hieroglyphical characters. Professor Rafinesque,
in \i\^ Asiatic Journal ioY 1832, describes similar plates
found by him in Mexico, being " Avritten from top to
ITS OEIGEN", EISE, AND PKOGRESS. Y5
bottom like the Chinese, or from side to side indiffer-
ently, like the Egyptian and the Demotic Libyan." A
nnmber of these remains were fomid a few years ago
in Pike County, Illinois, described as " six plates of
brass of a bell shape, each having a hole near the
small end, with a ring through all of them, and
clasped with two clasps. The ring and clasps ap-
peared to be iron, very much oxidated. The plates
first aj^peared to be copper, and had the appearance
of being covered with characters. A cleansing by
sulphuric acid brought out the characters distinctly."
Smith may have obtained through Rigdon (the literary
genius behind the screen) one of these glyphs, which
resemble so nearly his descri23tion of the book he pre-
tended to find on Mormon Hill. For the credit of
human character, it i§ better at any rate to presume
this, and that the eleven ignorant witnesses were de-
ceived by appearances, than to conclude that they
wilfully committed such gross moral perjury before
high Heaven, as their solemn averments imply.
Mormonism and its bible being thus candidates
for acceptance or rejection before the public judg-
ment, an early popular decision was sought by their
supporters. Up to this time, Sidney Rigdon liad
played his part in the background, and his occasional
visits at Smith's residence had been noticed by un-
initiated observers as those of the mysterious stranger.
It had been his policy to remain in concealment until
76 MORMONISM :
all things should "be in readiness for blowing the trum-
pet of the new gospel. He was a backsliding clergy-
man of the Baptist persuasion, and at the period re-
ferred to was the principal preacher of a sort of reli-
gions society calling themselves '^ Reformers " or
" Disciples," at Mentor, Ohio, near Kirtland. From
all that is known by the writer, of his character, he is
believed to have been a man possessing considerable
educational and scientific abilities ; an active, san-
guineous temperament ; a bold and persevering dis-
position ; and inclinations preponderating toward
original theories and schemes of philosophical adven-
ture. His age at this period was about thirty-eight
years.
This man Rigdon now appeared as the fii'st regular
Mormon preacher in Palmyra. ^ Martin Harris was his
forerunner, and relieved him of his incognito position.
Harris had in vain sought the use of the chui'ches re-
spectively for his appointed clerical service. But the
hall of the Palmyra Young Men's Association, in the
third story of Exchange Row, was yielded for the
object, upon the earnest entreaty of Harris, whose sin-
cerity and good intentions Avere unquestioned. At
the designated hour, a respectable audience had as-
sembled ; but it was a smallone, for be it remembered
that the church of the order of Latter-Day Saints was
just emerging from its chrysalis state.
Rigdon introduced himself as " the Messenger of
ITS ORIGIN, KISE, AND PEOGEESS. 77
God," declaring that he was commanded from above
to proclaim the Mormon revelation. He then went
through the ceremonious form of prayer, in v/hich he
expressed his grateful sense of the blessings of the
glorious gospel dispensation now opening to the
world, and the miraculous light from Heaven to be
displayed through the instrumentality of the " chosen
revelator," Joseph Smith, Jr. Bespeaking the favor
of the Most High in return for the kindness of the
Association in granting the use of their hall, he con-
cluded his prayer by commending all believers to the
divine care and protection against the sneers and per-
secutions of their ad^ ersaries.
The discourse was based upon the following text
read by the preacher from the recently published
Book of Mormon, which the searcher may find in
"First Book of Nephi," chapter iv. (page 32, original
edition) : —
"And the angel spake unto me, saying: These
last records which thou hast seen among the Gentiles,
shall establish the truth of the first, which is of the
Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known
the plain and precious things which have been taken
away from them ; and shall make known to all kin-
dreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is
the Eternal Father and Saviour of the world ; and
that all men must come unto Him, or they cannot be
saved."
78 MOKMomsM :
The preacher assumed to establish the theory that
the Book of Mormon and the old Bible were one in
inspiration and importance, and that the "precious
things" now revealed had for wise purposes been
withheld from the book first promulgated to the
world, and were necessary to establish its truth.
In the course of his argument he applied various
quotations from the two books to prove his position.
Iloldine: the Book of Mormon in his ris^ht hand, and
the Bible in his left hand, he bi ought them together
in a manner corresponding to the emphatic declaration
made by him., that they were both equally the Word of
God ; that neither was perfect without the other ; and
that they were inseparably necessary to complete the
everlasting gospel of the Saviour Jesus Christ. The
"latter-day" theory was dwelt upon at some length,
with apparent seriousness. Reiterating the declara-
tion made in his introduction, that he was "com-
manded" to proclaim these truths for the salvation
of fallen man, he wound up his discourse by a warn-
ing appeal to the confidence and faith of his hearers ;
adding a benediction.
This is by no means offered as a literal report of
the " sermon " beyond a few points, but is believed to
state truthfully and fairly its essential features, as
quite distinctly remembered after the lapse of nearly
thirty-seven years. Altogether, though evidencing
some talent and ingenuity in its matter and manner,
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PROGRESS. T9
and delivered with startling boldness and seeming
sincerity, the performance Avas in the main an unin-
telligible jumble of quotations, assertions, and ob-
scurities, which was received by the audience as
shockingly blasphemous, as it was painful to hear.
The manifestations of disfavor were so unequivocal
that Harris hesitatingly assented to the suggestion
of his " Gentile " friends to withhold all further re-
quest for the use of the hall for a repetition of the
exhibition. And " regular preaching " uj^on the Mor-
mon plan was never again attempted by Rigdon or
any other man in Palmyra, according to the best
knowledge and belief of the writer.
Rigdon, however, remained at Smith's for some
days, preaching in the neighborhood, and baptizing
several converts. Smith himself, with Harris, Cow-
dery, and Stoddard, also made some advances toward
preaching in an irregular, miscellaneous way, in barns
and in the streets ; but all these failed to find " or-
derly-behaved" hearers in sufficient numbers to en-
courage their persistence in the clerical vocation.
They " lacked the gift of public speaking " to com-
municate the revelation, as was explained by them-
selves. Cowdery excelled in the baptismal service,
but that seemed to be the extent of his ministerial
talent.
An anecdote, well remembered by numerous peo-
ple now living near the scene of the performance, will
80 MORMONISM :
serve as an illustration of the facility with which Smith
gained conyerts and co-lahorers.
Stoddard was an early believer in Mormonism, and
was quite as eccentric a character as Harris. He was
slightly impressed that he had a call to preach the
new gospel, but his mind was beclouded with perplex-
ing doubts upon the question. One dark night, about
ten o'clock, Stephen S. Harding, then a stalwart, fun-
loving, dare-devil genius of eighteen years, late Terri-
torial Governor of Utah (not a Mormon), Avho well
knew Stoddard's peculiarities, and being bent on
making a sensation, repaired with his genial friend,
Abner Tucker, to the residence of the enthusiast ; and
awakening him from sleep by three signals upon the
door with a huge stone, deliberately proclaimed, in a
loud, sonorous voice, with solemn intonations — " C-a-1-
v-i-n S-t-o-d-d-a-r-d ! t-h-e a-n-g-e-1 o-f t-h-e Lo-r-d
c-o-m-m-a-n-d-s t-h-a-t b-e-f-o-r-e a-n-o-t-h-e-r g-o-i-n-g
d-o-w-n o-f t-h-e s-u-n, t-h-o-u s-h-a-1-t g-o f-o-r-t-h
a-m-o-n-g t-h-e p-e-o-p-l-e a-n-d p-r-e-a-c-h t-h-e g-o-s-
p-e-1 o-f ]N"-e-p-h-i, o-r t-h-y w-i-f-e s-h-a-1-1 b-e a
w-i-d-o-w, t-h-y c-h-i-1-d-r-e-n o-r-p-h-a-n-s , a-n-d t-h-y
a-s-h-e-s s-c-a-t-t-e-r-e-d t-o t-h-e f-o-u-r w-i-n-d-s o-f
h-e-a-v-e-n ! "
The experiment was a complete success. Stod-
dard's former convictions were now confirmed. Such
a convincing "revelation" was final, and not to be dis-
regarded. Early the next morning the subject of this
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PEOGEESS. 81
" special call " was seen upon his rounds among his
neighbors, as a Mormon missionary, earnestly telling
them of the " command " he had received to preach.
Luminous arguments and evidences were adduced hy
him to sustain the foundation of his belief in this his
revealed sphere of duty !
In further illustration of the strange superstitions
characterizing these pioneer disciples of Mormonism,
and to complete the chain of facts going to make up
this truthful history, it is proper to add one other im-
portant incident, which has never appeared in any ac-
cepted record of the saints. Enthusiastic members
of the brotherhood — perhaps it should be said the
more visionary of the believers — had plied the " spirit
of prophecy " in foretelling the event of a miraculous
birth, in association Avith an unmarried daughter of
Joseph Smith, Sr. This predicted event Avas to as-
tonish the gentile world as a second advent of triune
humanity. Harris Avas exceedingly happy in the be-
lief of a forthcoming prophet or Messiah under the
Mormon dispensation, and spoke unreservedly of an
" immaculate conception in our day and generation."
The ample shrewdness of the prophet had probably
been called in requisition to allay some unfaA^orable
surmises on the part of his observing disciple, who
Avas a frequenter at the family mansion ; and it is ap-
parent that the theory invented was readily adopted
by Harris. Rigdon had been an occasional sojourner
82 MOEMONISM :
at Smith's for a year or more, though the reader may
fail to perceive what this circumstance had to do with
the case. The upshot of the story is, that soon after
the family had started for Ohio, the miracle eventuated
somewhere on the route, in the birth of a lifeless fe-
male child ! The accident was readily set down to
the account of divine interposition to avenge some act
of Mormon disobedience, and Harris was thus easily
reconciled.
In the summer of 1830, the founders of the Mormon
Church then remaining at the scene of its birthplace,
who had talked much of going on a mission into the
Western country to conA^ert the Lamanites (meaning
Indians), started on their western expedition with their
unsold Golden Bibles, and went to Mentor, Ohio, the
residence of Kigdon, and of Parley P. Pratt, his friend
and co-worker. ISTear this place is Kirtland, where
there were a few families belono-ins;; to Pio-don's con-
grogation, who had become extremely fanatical under
his preparatory preaching and prophecies, and were
daily looking for the occurrence of some wonderful
event. Seventeen of these peoj^le, men and women,
readily, espoused the new revelation, and were im-
mersed by Cowdery in one night, in attestation of
their Mormon faith. By the continued ministration
of Rigdon, aided by Pratt, Smith, Cowdery, and
their auxiliaries, conversions rapidly followed ; a pow-
erful impetus was given to. the cause; and over one
ITS OlilGIN-, EISE, AND PEOGKESS. 83
hundred persons were added to the fold in a short
time. Kirtland from about this period became the
headquarters of the Mormons, where their Church
and colony were thoroughly organized and tempo-
rarily established.
84 MOEMONISM
CHAPTER YIII.
Style of the new Revelation— Passages from the Book— Scattered
Tribes— Journey from Jerusalem to the Promised Land— Their
Tribulations in the Wilderness and at Sea— Records " hid up in
the Hill Camorah " or Mormon Hill.
Although the Book of Mormon has a wide pub-
licity— "being received as authentic by the followers
of the late prophet, Smith, and of his successor Brig-
ham Young — and having been issued in large editions,
both by the " saints " as their bible, and by " gentiles "
on speculation, yet it is presumed that liberal tran-
scripts from the work will comj)ensate their reprinting
in this volume. And it may be proper to remark here,
that in this case no trespass is perpetrated upon the
copyright of 1829 (if indeed the patent is continued
by renewals), for the proposed republication is only
an adjourned exercise of privilege verbally grant-
ed at that time by the "author and proprietor"
himself.
The chief denominations of the fabulous tribes pur-
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 85
porting to have inhabited this wilderness continent in
the times of the first Mormon, according to the Smith
revelation, were the Nej^hites and the Lamanites. They
were exceedingly belligerent races of people, apparent-
ly bent on each other's destruction, and prosecuting
an almost continuous warfare between themselves for
century after century ; and this, too, so far as as-
signed, for causes about as explicable as are those
impelling like hostilities in this modern Christian era.
A melancholy history on this head is presented in the
book, from which it appears that the J^Tephite tribes,
though the better people, vv^ere eventually annihilated ;
while to the wandering tribes' of the native Indians
of this country are to be traced the surviving remnants
of their enemies the Lamanites.
By the following series of compilations from the
different chapters of this Mormon volume, as trans-
lated and published by Prophet Smith, the reader
will discover a chain of events, incidents, episodes,
perils, and tribulations, by wilderfless and by sea, con-
stituting the story of immigration by various Israel-
itish tribes, with their brazen and golden records,
from the beginning of their journeyings at Jerusalem,
to the consummation of the same in the promised
land, where their records were hidden in the "hill
Camorah," which being interpreted, signifies "Mormon
Hill," in the town of Manchester, N. Y. The fabulous
narrative will repay patient perusal by the curious :
86 MOKMONISM :
Journeyings of N'ephi and his brethren from Jeru-
salem to the Promised JLand^ icith their records
and history. Also, Laman and his brethren.
" I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents,
therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning
of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the
course of my days — nevertheless, having been highly
flavored of the Lord in all my days ; yea, having had
a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries
of God, therefore I make a record of my jDroceedings
in my days ; yea, I make a record in the language of
my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews
and the language of the Egyptians. And I know the
record which I make to be true ; and I make it with
mine own hand ; and I make it according to my
knowledge.
" For it came to pass, in the commencement of the
first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah,
(my father Lehi having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his
days,) and in that same year there came many
prophets, prophesying unto the people that they
must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be de-
stroyed. Wherefore it came to pass that my father
Lehi, as he went forth, prayed unto the Lord, yea,
even w^ith all his heart, in behalf of his people.
" And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord,
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AJ^D PKOGKESS. 87
there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock
iDefore him, and he saw and heard much ; and because
of the things which he saw and heard he did quake
and tremble exceedingly.
" And it came to pass that he returned to his own
house at Jerusalem ; and he cast himself upon his bed,
being overcome with the spirit and the things which
he had seen ; and being thus overcome with the spirit,
he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the
heavens open ; and he thought he saw God sitting
upon his throne, surrounded with numberless con-
courses of angels in the attitude of singing and prais-
ing their God.
"And it came to pass that he saw one descending
out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his
lustre was above that of the sun at noonday ; and he
also saw twelve others following him, and their bright-
ness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament ;
and they came down and went forth upon the face of
the earth ; and the first came and stood before my
father and gave unto him a book, and bade him that
he should read.*
" And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled
with the spirit of the Lord, and he read, saying: Woe,
woe unto Jerusalem ! for I have seen thine abomina-
tions ; yea, and many things did my father read con-
cerning Jerusalem ; that it should be destroyed, and
the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the
Ob MOEMONISM :
sword, and mcLUj should be carried away captive into
Babylon
"And it came to pass tbat the Lord spake unto
me, saying : Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy
faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowli-
ness of heart. And. inasmuch as ye shall keep my
commandments, ye shall jirosper, and shall be led. to a
land of promise ; yea, even a land which I have pre-
pared for you ; yea, a land which is choice above all
other lands
"And I, Nephi, and my brethren, took our journey
in the wilderness with our tents, to go up to the land
of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that when we had
come up to the land of Jerusalem, I and my brethren
did consult one with another ; and we cast lots which
of us should go in unto the house of Laban. And it
came to pass that the lot fell upon Laman ; and La-
man went in unto the house of Laban, and he talked
with him as he sat in his house. And he desired of
Laban the records which were engraven upon the
plates of brass* which contained the genealogy of my
father.
* In other portions of the book, plates of ffold are spoken of. For
instance, in the "Book of Mosiah," occurs this passage: "There-
fore he took the records which were engraven on the plates of brass,
and also the plates of Nephi, and all the things which he had kept
and preserved, according to the commandments of God, after having
translated and caused to be written the records which were on the
ITS OEIGIN, RISE, AIs^D PROGRESS. 89
"And behold, it came to pass that Laban was
angry, and thrust him out from his presence ; and he
woukl not that he should have the records. . . .
"And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should
obtain these records, that we might preserve unto our
children the language of our fathers ; and also that
we may preserve unto them the words which have
been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets,
which have been delivered unto them by the spirit
and power of God since the world began, even down
unto this present time.
"And it came to pass, that after this manner of
language did I persuade my brethren that they might
be faithful in keei3ing the commandments of God.
And it came to pass that we went down to the land
of our inheritance, and we did gather together our
gold, and our silver, and our precious things. And
after that we had gathered these things together, we
went up again unto the house of Laban.
, " And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban,
and desired .him that he would give unto us the records
which were engraven upon the plates of brass, for
which we would give unto him our gold, and our sil-
ver, and our precious things. . . . . .
" And after that they had given thanks unto the
PLATES OF GOLD," etc. In the first instance, these plates or gljphs,
or myths, were claimed by Smith and his followers to be plates of
gold or resembling gold.
90 MORMONISM :
God of Israel, my father Lehi took the records which
were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he did
search them from the beginning. And he beheld that
they did contain the five books of Moses, which gave
an account of the creation of the world, and also of
Adam, and Eve, which were our first parents; and
also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even
down to the commencement of the reio-n of Zedekiah,
king of Judah ; and also the prophecies of the holy
prophets, from the beginning even down to the com-
mencement of the reign of Zedekiah ; and also many
prophecies of which have been spoken by the mouth
of Jeremiah.
" And it came to pass that my father Lehi also
found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his
father ; yea, even that Joseph which was the son of
Jacob, which was sold into Egypt, and Avhich was
preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might pre-
serve his father Jacob and all his household from per-
ishing with famine. And tliey were also led out of
captivity and out of the land of Egypt by that same
God who had preserved them. And thus my father
Lehi did discover the genealogy of his fathers. And
Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore he
and his fathers had kept the records.
" And now when my father saw all these things,
he was filled with the spirit, and began to prophesy
concerning his seed ; that these plates of brass should
ITS OEIGIN", EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 91
go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peo-
ple, which were of his seed. Wherefore he said that
these plates of brass ghould never perish ; neither
should they he dimmed any more by time. And he
prophesied many things concerning his seed.
"And it came to pass that thus far I and my
father had kept the commandments wherewith the
Lord had commanded us. And we had obtained the
records which the Lord liad commanded us, and
searched them and found that they were desirable ;
yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we
could preserve the commandments of the Lord unto
our children. Wherefore it was wisdom in the Lord
that we should carry them with us, as we journeyed
in the wilderness toward the land of promise
" And it came to pass that we did again take our
journey in the wildernese, and we did travel nearly
eastward from that time forth. And we did travel
and wade through much affliction in the wilderness ;
and our women did bear children in the wilderness.
And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us,
that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilder-
ness, our women did give plenty of suck for their chil-
dren, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men ;
and they began to bear their journeyings without
murmurings. And thus we see that the command-
ments orGod must be fulfilled. And if it so be that
the children of men keep the commandments of God,
92 MOEMoiasM :
he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and pro-
vide means whereby they can accomplish the things
which he hath commanded them; wherefore he did
provide means for ns while we did sojourn in the wil-
derness. And we did sojourn for the space of many
years, yea, even eight years in the wilderness. And
we did come to the land which we called Bountiful,
because of its much fruit, and also wild honey ; and
all these things were prepared of the Lord, that we
might not perish. And we beheld the sea, which we
called Irreantum, which, being interpreted, is Many
waters.
" And it came to pass that we did j^itch our tents
by the sea-shore ; and notwithstanding we had suf-
fered many afflictions and much difficulty, yea, even
so much that we cannot write them all, we were ex-
ceedingly rejoiced when we came to the sea-shore;
and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much
fruit
" And it came to pass that the Lord sj^ake unto
me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship after the
manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry
thy people across these waters. And I saith. Lord,
whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that
I may make tools to construct the ship, after the man-
ner which thou hast shown unto nie ? And it came
to pass that the Lord told me whither I shoftld go to
find ore, that I might make tools.
ITS OEIGIN, KISE, AND PEOGEESS. 93
" And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make bel-
lowses, wherewith to blow tlie fire, of the skins of
beasts ; and after that J had made bellowses, that I
might have wherewith to blow the fire, I did smite
two stones together that I might make fire, for the
Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make
much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness : for he
saith, I will make that thy food shall become sweet,
that ye cook it not ; and I will also be your light in
the wilderness : and I will prepare the way before
you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments ;
wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my command-
ments, ye shall be led toward the promised land ; and
ye shall know tliat it is by me that ye are led. Yea,
and the Lord said also. That after ye have arrived at
the promised land, ye shall know that I the Lord am
God ; and that I the Lord did deliver you from de-
struction ; yea, that I did bring you out of the land
of Jerusalem: wherefore I, Kephi, did strive to keep
the commandments of the Lord, and I did exhort my
brethren to faithfalness and diligence.
" And it came to pass that I did make tools of the
ore which I did molten out of the rock. And when
my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they
began to murmur against me, saying : Our brother is
a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship ; yea,
and he also thinketh that he can cross these great
waters. And thus mj brethren did complain against
94 MOKMOinsM :
me, and were desirous that they might not labor, for
they did not believe that I could build a ship ; neither
would they believe that I was. instructed of the Lord.
" And now it came to pass that I, JSJ^ephi, was ex-
ceeding sorrowful, because of the hardness of their
hearts ; and now when they saw that I began to be
sorrowful, they were glad in their hearts, insomuch
that they did rejoice over me, saying : We knew that
ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye
were lacking in judgment ; v/herefore, thou canst not
accomplish so great a work ; and thou art like unto
our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his
heart ; yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jeru-
salem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for
these many years ; and our women have toiled, being
big with child ; and they have borne children in the
wilderness, and suffered all things, save it were death;
and it would have been better that they had died be-
fore they came out of Jerusalem, than to have suffered
these afflictions. Behold, these many j^ears we have
suffered in the wilderness, which time v/e might have
enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inher-
itance ; yea, and we might have been happy ; and we
know that the people which were in the land of Jeru-
salem were a righteous people, for they kept the stat-
utes and the judgments of the Lord, and all his com-
mandments, according to the law of ]\[oses ; where-
fore, we know that they are a righteous people ; and
95
our father hath judged them, and hath led us away
because we would hearken unto his words ; yea, and
our brother is like unto him. And after this manner
of language did my brethren murmur and complain
against me.
"And it came to pass that I, !N'ephi, spake unto
them, saying : Do ye believe that our fathers, which
were the children of Israel, would have been led aAvay
out of the hands of the Egyptians, if they had not hear-
kened unto the words of the Lord ? Yea, do ye suppose
that they would have been led out of bondage if the
Lord had not commanded Moses that he should lead
them out of bondage ? ISTow ye know that the chil-
dren of Israel were in bondage ; and ye know that
they were laden with tasks, which were grievous to be
borne ; wherefore, ye know that it must needs be a good
thing for them that they should be brought out of
bondage. 'Now ye know that Moses was commanded
of the Lord to do that great work ; and ye know that
by his word the waters of the Red Sea were divided
hither and thither, and they passed through on dry
ground. But ye know that the Egyptians were
drowned in the Red Sea, which were the armies of
Pharaoh ; and ye also know that they were fed with
manna in the wilderness ; yea, and ye also know that
Moses, by his word, according to the power of God
which was in him,* smote the rock, and there came
forth water that the children of Israel might quench
96 MOEMONISM :
their thirst ; and, notwithstanding, they being led,
the Lord their God, their Redeemer, going before
them, leading them by day and giving light nnto
them by night, and doing all things for them which
was expedient for man to receive, the}^ hardened their
hearts and blinded their minds, and reviled against
Moses and against the true and living God.
"And it came to pass that, according to his word,
he did lead them ; and, according to his word, he did
do all things for them ; and there Avas not any thing
done save it were by his word. And after they had
crossed the river Jordan he did make them mighty,
nnto the driving out the children of the land ; yea,
unto the scattering them to destruction. And now do
ye suppose that the children of this land, which were
in the land of promise, which were driven out by our
fathers, do ye suppose that they were righteous ?
Behold, I say unto you, nay
" And it came to pass that they did worship the
Lord, and did go forth with me ; and we did work
timbers of curious workmanshij). And the Lord did
show me from time to time, after w]i at manner I
should work the timbers of the ship. 'Now I, Nephi,
did not work the timbers after the manner which was
learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the
manner of men ; but I did build it after the manner
which the Lord had shown nnto me; wherefore, it
was not after the manner of men.
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 97
" And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I
did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore, the Lord
showed unto me great things.
" And it came to pass that after I had finished the
ship according to the word of the Lord, ray brethren
beheld that it was good, and that the workmanship
thereof was exceeding fine ; wherefore, they did hum-
ble themselves again before the Lord.
" And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord
came unto my father, that we should arise and go
down into the ship. And it came to pass that on the
morrow, after that we had prepared all things, much
fruits and meat from the wilderness, and honey in
abundance, and provisions, according to that which
the Lord had commanded us, we did go down into
the ship with all our loading, and our seeds, and what-
soever thing we had brought with us, every one ac-
cording to his age ; wherefore, we did all go down
into the ship with our wives and our children.*
* The Book of Ether gives a further account of eight vessels for
other tribes. These vessels, built by the "brother of Jared, accord-
ing to the instructions of the Lord," are thus described : " They
were very light upon the water, even like unto the lightness of a
fowl upon the water ; and they were built after a manner that they
were exceeding tight, even that they would hold water like unto a
dish ; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish ; and the
sides thereof were tight like unto a dish ; and the ends thereof were
peaked ; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish ; and the
length thereof was the length of a tree." [Breathing-holes, with
5
y8 MOEMONISM :
" And now my father had begat two sons in the
wilderness. The eldest was called Jacob, and the
younger Joseph. And it came to pass that after we
had all gone down into the ship, and had taken with
us our provisions and things which had been com-
manded us, we did put forth into the sea, and were
driven forth before the wind toward the promised
land ; and after that we had been driven forth before
tlie wind, for the space of many days, behold my
brethren and the sons of Ishmael, and also their
wives, began to make themselves merry, insomuch
that they began to dance and to sing, and to speak
with much rudeness, yea, even so that they did forget
by what power they had been brought thither ; yea,
they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness. And I,
I^ephi, began to fear exceedingly, lest the Lord should
be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity,
that we should be svrallowed up in the depths of the
sea ; wherefore, I, ^N'ephi, began to speak to them with
much soberness ; but, behold, they were angry with
me, saying : We will not that our younger brother
shall be a ruler over us.
" And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did
take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat
stoppers, were afterward made in the top.] "Aud the Lord said
unto the brother of Jared, Behold ye shall be as a whale in the midst
of the sea ; nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths
of the sea."
ITS OEIGrN", RISE, Am> PEOGEESS. 99
me with mucli harshness ; nevertheless, the Lord did
suffer it, that he might show forth his power unto the
fulfilling of his word which he hath spoken concern-
ing the wicked.
" And it came to pass that after they had bound
me, insomuch that I could not move, the compass
which had been prepared of the Lord did cease to
work ; wherefore they knew not whither they should
steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great
storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest; and we
were driven back upon the waters for the space of
three days, and they began to be frightened exceed-
ingly, lest they should be drowned in the sea ; never-
theless, they did loose me not. And on the fourth day
which we had been driven back the tempest began to
be exceeding sore.
" And it came to pass that we were about to be
swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after
that we had been driven back upon the waters for the
space of^our days, my brethren began to see that the
judgment of God was upon them, and that they must
perish, save that they should repent of their iniquities ;
wherefore, they came unto me and loosed the bands
which were upon my wrists, and behold they had
much swollen, exceedingly ; and also mine ankles
were much swollen, and great was the soreness there-
of. Nevertheless, I did look unto my God^ and I did
praise him all the day long ; and I did not murmur
100 MORMONISM :
against the Lord because of mine afflictions. . . . And
it came to pass that after they had loosed me, behold,
I took the compass, and it did work whither I de-
sired it. And it came to pass that I prayed nnto
the Lord; and after that I had prayed, the winds
did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a
great calm.
" And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the
ship, that we sailed again toward the promised land.
And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the
space of many days, we did arrive at the promised
land ; and we went forth npon the land, and did
pitch our tents ; and we did call it the Promised
Land.
" And it came to pass that we did begin to till the
earth, and we began to plant seeds ; yea, we did put
all our seeds into the earth, which we had brought
from the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass
that they did grow exceedingly ; wherefore we were
blessed in abundance.
"And it came to pass that we did find upon the
Land of Promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness,
that there were beasts in the forests of every kind,
both the cow and the ox, and the ass, and the horse,
and the goat, and the wild goat, and all manner of
wild animals, which were for the use of man. And we
did find all manner of ore, both of gold and of silver,
and of copper,
ITS OEIGIKr, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 101
"And it came to pass that the Lord commanded
me, wherefore I did make plates of ore, that I might
engraven upon them the record of my people. And
ujion the plates which I made I did engraven the
record of my father, and also our journeyings in the
wilderness, and the prophecies of my father ; and also
many of mine own prophecies have I engraven upon
them. And I knew not at that time when I made
them that I should be commanded of the Lord to
make these plates ; wherefore the record of my father,
and tlie genealogy of his fathers, and the more part
of all our proceedings in the wilderness, are engraven
u23on the plates of winch I have spoken
" And after that I had made these plates by way
of commandment, I, Nephi, received a commandment
that the ministry, and the prophecies, the more plain
and precious parts of them, should be written upoji
these plates ; and that the things which were written
should be kept for the instruction of my people, which
should possess the land, and also for other wise pur-
poses, which purposes are known unto the Lord ;
wherefore I, ISTephi, did make a record upon the other
plates, which gives an account, or which gives a
greater account of the wars, and contentions, and
destruction of my people. And this have I done,
and commanded my people that they should do, after
that I was gone, and that these -plates should be
handed down from one generation to another, or from
102 MOEMONISM :
one prophet to another, until further commandments
of the Lord
" And thus they did put an end to all those
wicked, and secret, and abominable combinations,
in the which there was so much wickedness, and so
many murders committed. And thus had the twenty-
and-second year passed away, and the twenty-and-
tbird year also, and the twenty-and-fourth, and the
twenty-and-fifth ; and thus had twenty-and-hve years
passed away, and there had many things transpired
which, in the eyes of some, would be great and mar-
vellous ; nevertheless, they cannot all be written in
this book ; yea, this book cannot contain even a ]iun-
dredth j^art of what was done among so many people
in the space of twenty-and-five years ; but behold
there are records which do contain all tlie proceedings
of this people, and a more short but true account was
given by Nephi ; therefore I have made my record of
these things according to the record of Nephi, which
were engraven on the plates which were called the
plates of Nephi. And behold, I do make the record
on plates which I have made with mine own hands.
And behold, I am called Mormon, being called after
the land of Mormon, the land in the which Alma did
establish the church among the people ; yea, the first
church which was established among them after their
transgression. Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ,
the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PEOGRESS. 103
his word among his people, that they might haA'e ever-
lasting life
"And it came to j^ass in the thirty-and-fourth
year, in the first month, in the fourth day of the
month, there arose a great storm, such an one as
never had been known in all the land ; and there was
also a great and terrible tempest ; and there was ter-
rible thunder, insom^uch that it did shake the whole
earth as if it was about to divide asunder ; and there
was exceeding sharp lightnings, such as never had
been known in all the land. And the city of Zara-
hemla did take fire ; and the city of Moroni did sink
into the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof
were drowned ; and the earth was carried up upon
the city of Moronihah, that in the place of the city
thereof there became a great mountain ; and there
was a great and terrible destruction in the land south-
ward. But behold, there was a more great and ter-
rible destruction in the land northward ; for behold,
the whole face of the land was changed because of
the tempest, and the whirlwinds, and the thunderings,
and the lightnings, and the exceeding great quaking
of the whole earth ; and the highways were broken
up, and the level roads were spoiled, and many smooth
places became rough, and many great and notable
cities were sunk, and many were burned, and many
were shook till the buildings thereof had fallen to the
earth, and the inhabitants thereof were slain, and the
104 MOEMONISM :
places were left desolate ; and there were some cities
which remained ; but the damage thereof was exceed-
ing great, and there were many in them which were
slain; and there were some which were carried away
in the whirlwind ; and whither they went no man
knoweth, save they know that they were carried
away ; and thus the face of the whole earth became
deformed because of the tempests, and the thunder-
ings, and the lightnings, and the quaking of the earth.
And behold the rocks were rent in twain ; yea, they
were broken up upon the face of the whole earth, in-
somuch that they were found in broken fragments,
and in seams, and in cracks, upon all the face of the
land
"And it came to pass that there was thick dark-
ness upon the face of all the land, insomuch that the
inhabitants thereof which had not fallen could feel
the vapor of darkness ; and there could be no light
because of the darkness, neither candles, neither
torches ; neither could there be fire kindled with
their fine and exceeding dry wood, so that there
could not be any light at all ; and there was not any
light seen, neither fire, nor glimmer, neither the sun,
nor the moon, nor the stars, for so great were the
mists of darkness which were upon the face of the
land.
" And it came to pass that it did last for the space
of three days, that there was no light seen ; and there
ITS OKIGIN, RISE, AND PEOGEESS. 105
was great mourning, and howling, and weeping among
all the people continually ; yea, great were the groan-
ings of the people, because of the darkness and the
great destruction which had come upon them. And
in one place they were heard to cry, saying : O that
we had repented before this great and terrible day,
and had not killed and stoned the prophets, and cast
them out ; then would our mothers, and our fair
daughters, and our children have been spared, and
not have been buried up in that great city Moronihah ;
and thus Avere the bowlings of the people great and
terrible
"And now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up
the record which I have been making, into the hands
of my son Moroni, behold, I have witnessed almost
all the destruction of my people, the Nephites. And
it is many hundred years after the coming of Christ
that I deliver these records into the hands of my son ;
and it supposeth me that he will witness the entire
destruction of my people. But may God grant that
he may survive them, that he may write somewhat
concerning them, and somewhat concerning Christ,
that perhaps some day it may profit them.
"And now I speak somewhat concerning that
which I have written, for after that I had made an
abridgment from the plates of Nephi down to the
reign of this King Benjamin, of which Amaleki spake,
I searched among the records which had been deliv-
5*
106 MOEMONISM :
ered into my hands, and I found these plates, which
contained this small account of the prophets, from
Jacob down to the reign of the King Benjamin ; and
also many of the words of Nephi. And the things
which are upon these plates pleasing me, because of
the prophecies of the coming of Christ ; and my
fathers knowing that many of them have been ful-
filled ; wherefore, I chose these things to finish my
record upon them, which remainder of my record I
shall take from the plates of Nephi ; and I cannot
write a hundredth part of the things of my people.
But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain
these prophesyings and revelations, and put them
with the remainder of my record, for they are choice
unto me ; and 1 know they will be choice unto my
brethren.
"And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my
record, which I take from the plates of Nephi ; and
I make it according to the knowledge and the under-
standing which God hath given me. Wherefore, it
came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered up
these plates into the hands of King Benjamin, he took
them and put them with the other plates which con-
tained records which had been handed down by the
kings from generation to generation, until the days of
King Benjamin, from generation to generation, until
they have fallen into my hands. And I, Mormon,
pray to God that they may be preserved from this
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 107
time henceforth. And I know that they will be pre-
served ; for there are great things written upon them,
out of which my people and their brethren shall be
judged at the great and last day, according to the
word of God which is written
"And now I, Mormon, make a record of the thincrs
which I have both seen and heard, and call it the
Book of Mormon. And about the time that Ammaron
hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I
being about ten years of age, and I began to be
learned somewhat after the manner of the learning
of my people,) and Ammaron saith unto me, I per-
ceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to
observe ; therefore when ye are about twenty-and-
four years old, I would that ye should, remember the
things that ye have observed concerning this people ;
and when ye are of that age, go to the land of Antum,
unto a hill which shall be called Shim; and there have
I deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings
concerning this people. And behold, ye shall take
the plates of IN'ephi unto yourself, and the remainder
shall ye leave in the place where they are ; and ye
shall engrave upon the plates of Nephi all the things
that ye have observed concerning this people. And
I, Mormon, being a descendant of Nephi, (and my
father's name Avas Mormon,) I remembered the things
which Ammaron commanded me
"And now*I finish my record concerning the de-
108 MOKMONISM :
struction of my people, the Nephites. And it came
to pass that we did march forth before the Lamanites.
And I, Mormon, wrote an epistle unto the king of the
Lamanites, and desired of him that he would grant
unto us that we might gather together our people
unto the land of Camorah, by a hill which was called
Camorah, and there we would give them battle. . . .
" And it came to pass that when we had gathered
in all our people as one to the land of Camorah, be-
hold I, Mormon, began to be old ; and knowing it to
be the last struggle of my people, and having been
commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer that
the records which had been handed down by our fa-
thers, which were sacred, to fall into the hands of the
Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would destroy them,)
therefore I made this record out of the plates of Ne-
phi, and hid up in the hill Camorah all the records
which had been intrusted to me by the hand of the
Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto
my son Moroni.*
" Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my
father Mormon. Behold, I have but few things to
* From the Book of Ether : "And behold these two stones will I
give unto thee, and ye shall seal them up also, with the things which
ye shall write. For behold the language which ye shall write I have
confounded ; wherefore, I will cause in my own due time that these
stones shall magnify to the eyes of men those things which ye shall
write." [Urim and Thummim.]
ITS ORIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 109
write, which things I have been commanded of my
father. And now it came to pass that after the great
and tremendous battle at Camorah, behold, the Ne-
phites which had escaped into the country southward,
were hunted by the Lamanites until they were all de-
stroyed ; and my father also was killed by them ; and
I, even I remaineth alone to write the sad tale of the
destruction of my people. But behold they are gone,
and I fulfil the commandment of my father. Behold,
four hundred years have passed away since the com-
ing of our Lord and Saviour. And behold, the Laman-
ites have hunted my people, the Kephites, down from
city to city, and from place to place, even until they
are no more ; and great has been their fall ; yea, great
and marvellous is the destruction of my people, the
Nej)hites
" Behold, I am Moroni ; and were it possible, I
would make all things known unto you. Behold, I
make an end of speaking concerning this people. I
am the son of Mormon, and my father was a descend-
ant of Nephi ; and I am the same which hideth up
this record unto the Lord ; the plates thereof are of no
worth, because of the commandment of the Lord. For
he truly saith, That no one shall have them to get
gain ; but the record thereof is of great worth ; and
whoso shall bring it to light, him will the Lord bless.
For none can have power to bring it to light, save it
be given him of God ; for God will that it shall be
110 moemonism:
clone with an eye single to his gloiy, or the welfare of
the ancient and long-dispersed covenant people of the
Lord. And blessed be him that shall bring this thing
to light ; for it shall be brought out of darkness unto
light, according to the word of God ; yea, it shall be
brought out of the earth, and it shall shine forth out
of darkness and come unto the knowledge of the peo-
ple : and it shall be done by the power of God ; and
if there be faults, they be the faults of a man."
ITS OPvIGm, EISE, AND PKOGEESS. Ill
CHAPTER IX.
Origin of the Book of Mormon — Who wrote it? — Mormon Legends —
Solomon Spaulding's Fable — Rigdon and Smith the Schemers.
The Book of MormoD, viewed in any sense as a
literary production, is scarcely worthy of criticism
or remark; but when considered "as the accepted
groundwork of the religious faith of a people whose
growth has been most extraordinary, and whose
fanaticism is an astonishing phenomenon in psychol-
ogy, the book has more than an ephemeral interest "
for the student of human philosophy. As a curiosity
merely, not as a readable romance, it commands a
place in respectable libraries.
But neither the specimen passages reprinted in the
preceding pages, nor the book in its entirety, furnish
any satisfactory answer to the question of its origin
and purpose. Nor is such answer found in the fab-
ulous visions and revelations of the pretender Smith,
nominally corroborated as they are by the testimony'
of his eleven confederate witnesses. The glyph prob-
lem, even if Smith had obtained one of those fossil
112 MOBMONISM :
curiositieSj as Las been suggested in another connec-
tion, can in no wise api3ly in this case. These ques-
tions, therefore, must necessarily be left to individual
choice of solution, as between the conflicting theories
and evidence at hand ; and it will best accord with
the design of this publication, to present for that choice
the opposing conclusions of Mormons and Gentiles.
" That a single man, in the midst of the enlighten-
ment of this century, should have been able to throw
the lines of mysticism so thoroughly over the minds
of hundreds and thousands of men and women, is
not more wonderful than the earnest and self-denying
faith with which his devotees have sustained an un-
broken unity, under circumstances of remarkable pri-
vation and peril. [NTor is it less surprising that the
assumption of a power very nearly absolute, by one
man, who is regarded as the legitimate successor of
the original prophet, has come to be accepted by this
people as a divine ordination, and that to one guiding
spirit alone is yielded the homage and obedience which
insure the autocratic sway of Brigham Young. Con-
sidered in all their relations — religious, political, moral,
or social — the Mormons are a curious people. Occu-
pying for their headquarters a portion of the American
continent which is far removed from the influences of
civilization,* and indeed is for many months in the
* This description (from Introduction to Wright & Co.'s New York
edition "Book of Mormon") dates back to the beginning of the Mor-
113
year totally inaccessible — cooped up among overhang-
ing mountains — destitute of the refinements of ordi-
nary social life — hent beneath the sway of an unscru-
pulous hierarchy — holding to practices which, else-
where than in their own territory, would subject them
to the penalties of the law ; and, withal, noted for
a spirit of zeal, industry, and perseverance, which has
enabled them to convert the wildest moods of IN'ature
into servants of their will — the Mormons have earned
an enduring reputation for bincerity, and energy, and
capacity. When the secrets of their origin^ and prog-
ress and government, shall have been added to the
published record of their religious belief, this peojole
will rank among the most extraordinary of all the
sects that have sprung into life as the world has run
its course."
First, in the pursuit of information showing the
true origin and correct history of the Book of Mor-
mon, let the reader consider the legendary account
adopted by the Mormons themselves. This is fur-
nished in a published statement by Parley P. Pratt,
the early convert at Palmyra, and the contemporary
of Smith and Rigdon at their first confederated ap-
pearance in Ohio, and also an accepted oracle in the
subsequent history of Mormonism. According to that
authority, the Latter-Day Saints claim that " a portion
mon colony in Utah, when that territory was yet in the wilds of
Mexico, and before its acquisition by the United States.
ll-i moemonism:
of their history runs back to that extremely remote
age when the tongues were confounded at the Tower
of Babel. They hold that at the time of that event,
the tribes of the earth were scattered abroad, and
that the migrations of one particular colony were es-
pecially directed by the Lord, who led the favored
few across the sea to the Western Continent, now
called America. This colony inhabited America for
some fifteen hundred years, but were destroyed for
their wickedness at a period about six hundred years
before Christ. A prophet. Ether, was their historian,
and one of the books in the Mormon Bible, which
bears his name, gives a full account of his genealogy
and of the nature of his prophetic office. Ether seems
to have been a lineal descendant from Jared, and
Jared was one of the favored colony, led out from
the polyglot tribulation at the Tower, and conducted
subsequently to the land of rest which was provided
on the territory now kno-\vii as America. The prophet
lived to see the last vestige of his nation become ex-
tinct, and, having finished his record of its history
and destruction, deposited it, under divine direc-
tion, in the locality where it was found by another
colony.
" The second colony, according to the best Mormon
authority, was comjDosed of Israelites, and came from
Jerusalem about the year 600 b. c, occupying the
place of the original colony, which was then extinct.
ITS OKIGrN", RISE, AND PEOGEESS. 115
and repeopling America. The new colonists were de-
scendants of the tribe of Joseph. They grew and
multiplied, became rich and powerful, and in process
of time divided into two nations ; one of which, the
Nephites, so named after its founder Nephi, became
noted for enlightenment and civilization, — while the
other branch, the Lamanites, taking their name from
their leader Laman, lapsed into barbarism, and were
destitute of the refinements and advantages which
attend a state of civilized existence. The Mormon
historians make this latter branch the immediate pro-
genitors of the American Indians.
" The Mormon history proceeds to record the
progress of the opposing nations of the ISTephites and
the Lamanites. The Nephites appear to have been
highly favored of the Lord. They enjoyed visions,
received the visitation of angels, and the gift of
prophecy was handed down from age to age. Final-
ly, they were blessed with a personal appearance of
Jesus Christ after His resurrection from the dead ; re-
ceived from Him the doctrine of the Gospel, and were
invested with the power of foretelling the events of
the future. In this happy condition of grace and
wisdom, the race of the Nephites continued until the
fourth century of the Christian era, when, through
temptation, they fell from their high estate, and
finally were destroyed by their wicked neighbors,
the Lamanites. The most noted prophet of the
116 MOEMONISM :
golden age of the Nephites was Mormon. By di-
vine commandment, Mormon made an abridgment of
the sacred records, which contained the history of
his forefathers, narrated the prophecies which were
made to them, and sketched the events which at-
tended the introduction of the Gospel among them.
The history of his own time was appended to this
record, and Mormon put the finishing touch to his
historical labors, by narrating the destruction of his
nation — both he and his predecessor Ether having
been permitted to escape the general destruction, in
order that the record of the great events which pro-
duced the catastrophe might descend safely to future
generations. Mormon, having completed his work,
laid him down to die. and intrusted to his son
Moroni the task of concealing the plates upon which
he had recorded the story of his nation. From this
point commences the history of the Mormon Bible.
" In order to preserve the plates from falling into
the impious hands of the Lamanites, Moroni deposited
them carefully in the earth, in a locality then called
the Hill Camorah — now a part of Ontario County,
in the State of New York. The record was carefully
sealed up, and buried several feet below the surface
of the hill, and the date of that occurrence is fixed
about A. D. 420. Fourteen hundred years j^assed
away, until, on the 22d day of September, 1827, an
angel of the Lord directed Joseph Smith, Jr. (the
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PE0GEES8. 117
original prophet), to exhume the long-buried his-
tory." *
The legend proceeds with descriptions of the me-
tallic volume, a part of which was sealed and not to
be seen, even by Smith himself, until further revela-
tion, and also of the Urim and Thummim or large
spectacles to be used in translating, which are sub-
stantially the same as given elsewhere.
According to similar "latter-day" accounts, the
wonderful event was followed by great popular com-
motion; though these things were not perceived or
heard of at the time and locality of the original story.
The following exciting description has been published
by the Mormons :
" Soon the news of these discoveries by Jo-
seph Smith, Jr., spread abroad throughout all those
parts. False reports, misrepresentations, and base
slanders, flew as if upon the wings of the wind, in
every direction. His house w^as frequently beset by
mobs and evil-designing persons. Several times he
was shot at, and very narrowly escaped. Every de-
vice was used to get the plates away from him. And
being continually in danger of his life from a gang of
abandoned wretches, he at length concluded to leave
the place and go to Pennsylvania ; and, accordingly,
packed up his goods, jjutting the plates into a barrel
* Mormon publication in London, 1854, by Parley P. Pratt, Then
a foreign missionary in the cause of the " saints."
118 MOEMONISM :
of beans, and proceeded upon his journey. He had
not gone far, before he was overtaken by an officer
with a search-warrant, who flattered himself with the
idea that he should surely obtain the plates ; but after
searching very diligently, he was sadly disappointed
at not finding them. Mr. Smith then drove on, but
before he got to his journey's end he was again over-
taken by the officer on the same business, and after
ransacking the wagon very carefully, he went his
way as much chagrined as in the first instance, at
not being able to discover the object of his search.
Without any further molestation, he pursued his
journey until he came into the northern part of Penn-
sylvania, near the Susquehanna River. Here, by the
power of God, and with the aid of two crystals set in
a bow (the Urim and Thummim), he translated the
unsealed portion of the records into the English
tongue, in obedience to the divine command."
The latter portion of this Mormon second-thought
— the alleged procurement of the " translations " in
Pennsylvania — is probably a little nearer the truth
than the pretensions first put forth by Smith, Cow-
dery, Harris, and their prime associates; for their
story then was, that the translations were made in
the manner before stated, at Smith's residence in
Manchester. Whereas, no doubt, the exact truth is,
that a copy of their production was made from a manu-
script then held by an accomplice in Pennsylvania.
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PROGKESS. 119
The whole idea of an attempt to harm Smith in
any way, or to rob him of his " golden bible," is
purely a Mormon invention, based upon no other cir-
cumstance in truth, than that an individual creditor
in vain sent a constable after him in the hope of se-
curing the payment of a small debt.
" Elder Oliver Cowdery," who was one of the
pioneer Mormons at Manchester and Palmyra, pub-
lished at Independence, Mo., in 1834, a description of
the hill where Smith claimed to have obtained the
records, with the following ingenious account of their
deposit by Moroni ; and the same account was repub-
lished by one of the Mormon missionaries at Edin-
burgh in 1840 :
" How far below the surface these records were
placed by Moroni, I am unable to say ; but from the
fact that they had been some fourteen hundred years
buried, and that, too, on the side of a hill so steep,
one is ready to conclude that they were some feet be-
low, as the earth would naturally wear, more or less,
in that length of time ; but they being placed toward
the top of the hill, the ground w^ould not remove as
much as at two-thirds of the way up, perhaps. An-
other circumstance would prevent a wearing of the
earth ; in all probability, as soon as timber had time
to grow, the hill was covered after the Nephites were
destroyed, and the roots of the same would hold the
surface; however, on this point, I shall leave every
120 moemonism:
man to draw his own conclusion, and form his own
speculation. A hole of sufficient depth was dug ; at
the bottom of this was laid a stone of suitable size,
the upper surface being smooth ; at each edge was
placed a large quantity of cement, and into this ce-
ment at the four edges of this stone, were placed
erect four others ; their bottom edges resting in the
cement, at the outer edges of the first stone. The
four last named, when placed erect, formed a box ;
the corners, or where the edges of the four came in
contact, were also cemented so firmly, that the mois-
ture from without was prevented from entering. It
is to be observed, also, that the inner surface of the
four erect or side stones was smooth. This box was
sufficiently large to admit a breast-plate, such as was
used by the ancients to defend the chest, etc., from
the arrows and weapons of their enemy. From the
bottom of the box, or from the breast-plate, arose
three small pillars, comj3osed of the same descrii^tion
of cement used on the edges ; and upon these three
jiillars was placed the record. This box (Sontaining
the record was covered with another stone, the bot-
tom surface being flat, and the upper crowning."
Does the reader require proof of the utter untruth
of all this parade of particulars about finding any
thing of the kind pretended, either in Ontario County
or elsewhere? But it is a noticeable incident in the
whole progress of the imposture, that the uneducated
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 121
and ignorant character of Smith was turned to his
advantage over his followers. His want of cultiva-
tion in respect to " the world's wisdom," precluded in
their minds the idea of the exercise of any natural or
acquired faculties in producing his wonderful revela-
tions and translations. Their reasoning was : " He is
unlearned of men, therefore how eould he acquire the
ancient learning displayed, if it were not supernatu-
rally communicated to him ? " And they argued, that
he could not have made the translations without the
plates. Convincing logic for the Mormon fanatics !
Here comes in for application and reflection tlie
coincidence of Sidney Rigdon's long-continued incog-
nito sojournments at the money-digger's residence
during the Mormon incubation. Who can doubt
that he and Smith had become confederates in a
grand scheme of cupidity and imposture ? They had
surreptitiously possessed themselves of a fabulous
composition peculiarly adapted to their design. Se-
crecy and falsehood were necessary to the success of
such a scheme, and to these, it is self-evident, they
were mutually sworn. The following explanatory
statements, received from the best authority, supply
the proof:
"About the year 1809, the Reverend Solomon
Spaulding, a clergyman who had graduated from
Dartmouth College, and settled in the town of Cherry
Valley, in the State of New York, removed from that
6
122 MOEMONISM :
l^lace to ISiew Salem (Conneaut), Ashtabula County,
Ohio. Mr. Spaulding was an enthusiastic archgeolo-
gist. The region to which he removed was rich in
American antiquities. The mounds and traces of for-
tifications abounding there, which have puzzled the
brains of many patient explorers, attracted his atten-
tion. On account of failing health, he had retired
from the active labors of his profession ; and being
possessed of a lively imagination, and familiar with
the classics and ancient history, he sought to beguile
the hours of retirement and employ his mind by
writing a fabulous historical record of a long-lost
race, adopting the hypothesis that his manuscript
was found in one of the mounds. He accepted the
theory that the American continent had been peopled
by a colony of the ancient Israelites. The ample ma-
terial by which he was surrounded, full of mythical
interest and legendary suggestiveness, led him to the
conception of the curious literary project referred to.
The work w^as commenced, and progressed slowly for
some time. Portions of it were read by Mr. Spauld-
ing to his friends, as its different sections were com-
pleted, and after about three years' labor, that is, in
1812 or 1813, the volume w^as completed, bearing the
title of ' The Manuscript Found.' " Mr. Spaulding
submitted his work to a printer named Patterson, at
Pittsburg, Pa., with a view to its publication on
joint account. The printing proposal, however, for
ITS OKIGIN, EISE, AND PROGRESS. 123
some reason, was not carried out, and the manuscript
remained in Patterson's office until 1816, when it was
reclaimed by the author, who in that year removed to
Amity, Washington County, K. Y., where he died
in 1827. The manuscript remained in the widow's
possession until it was missed or stolen from a trunk
in Otsego County, where she had removed, about the
time the " Book of Mormon " began to be publicly
mentioned.
" In the employment of the printer Patterson was
a versatile genius, one Sidney Rigdon, to whom no
trade came amiss, and who happened at the time to
be a journeyman printer at work with Patterson.
Disputations on questions of theology were the pecu-
liar delight of Rigdon ; and the probable solution of
the mystery of this Book of Mormon, is found in the
fact, that he had made a copy of Spaulding's manu-
script, and communicated information of the exist-
ence of the fictitious record to Joseph Smith, Jr.,"
after becoming acquainted with Smith's money-digging
operations. Patterson died in 1826.
From all the evidence possessed, there can be no
doubt that the plan of founding a new system of re-
ligion was concocted by these two shrewd and un-
scrupulous persons, and that the Spaulding fable was
its basis. " The fact that the style of the Mormon
book so closely imitates that of the received version
of the Bible — a point which seems to have been con-
124 MOEMONISM ;
stantly kept in view by Mr.. Spaulding, probably in
order to invest the fiction with a stronger character
of reality — answered admirably for the purposes of
Rigdon and Smith. Sui^erstition readily embraces
any thing which has a show of reality, especially if it
be sustained by a sanction apparently divine ; and the
success of this remarkable literary imposture is not
more wonderful than the devotion of the Mohamme-
dan to the Koran, which, like the Book of Mormon, is
accepted as the standard of a religious faith. The
Millerite fanaticism was less marked, but found not
less earnest followers."
These statements are derived from the declara-
tions of Mrs. Spaulding herself, as made in 1831, and
subsequently. In that year, Dr. Philastus Hurlburt,
living near New Salem, Ohio (after Mormonism had
become seated in that State), who had obtained a
copy of the Book of Mormon, came by appointment
of a public meeting of his neighbors, in pursuit of in-
formation on the subject, to Palmyra, N. Y., where
he stated that he was acquainted with several reliable
persons, who had seen the Spaulding manuscript, and
who recognized its identity in the main with the
printed book. He furthermore obtained the same
recognition from Mrs. Spaulding, and from Mr. John
Spaulding, a brother of the deceased.
No doubt the Spaulding manuscript was altered
by Rigdon and Smith to suit the case in hand and
ITS ORIGIN, KISE, AND PEOGKESS. 125
meet rising exigencies. Indeed, it is apparent from
the marked changes in style of composition occm'ring
in numbers of instances, that emendations and addi-
tions were made by some other than the original
writer's hand. Then, too, the verbose title-page —
the "preface" in regard to the translations lost by
the incendiarism of Mrs. Harris — the testimonies of
witnesses, and the long line of revelations that fol-
lowed— which are not presumed to have been com-
posed by the illiterate Smith, but by Kigdon during
Smith's lifetime — all these are strong corrobora-
tive considerations connected with the proofs that
Rigdon supplied the literary aliment needed in con-
forming the Spaulding production to the grand co-
partnership Mormon speculation. And it is not
known that he has ever disclaimed the part that for
more than thirty years has been publicly assigned to
iiim in the great plagiarism and imposture.
Rigdon was in possession of a copy of this manu-
script before he had heard of Smith's money-digging
delusions, and the application ultimately made of it,
as Smith's accomj^lice, was incidental. Is it not a
noteworthy retribution in his case, that his Mormon
history should come to a sudden close soon after the
murder of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum in
1844, when he was defeated by Brigham Young in a
contest for the successorship as prophet, and quit
Nauvoo and the "saints," under the ban of expul-
126
MOEMONISM
sion ? He was expelled from a churcli and colony
which he had been so instrumental in bringing into
being, and went to Allegany County, N. Y., where
he has lived to the j^vesent time. A citizen of that
county, in reply to inquiries, writes : " Eigdon used
to lecture on various scientific subjects, and was re-
garded as a man of ability and a good public speaker.
He has been solicited to publish an authentic history
of the Mormon speculation, but is said to decline do-
ing so from fear of Mormon vengeance. It is supposed
he might, if so minded, give a better reason for his
refusal. He is now seventy-five years of age, and his
habits are those of seclusion and reticence."
In the pursuit of data for this history, the favor of
information was sought from Mr. Rigdon. Prelimi-
nary to a proposed personal interview, a note was ad-
dressed to him by mail, at "Friendship, Allegany
County, N. Y.," of which the following is a copy :
[Prepaid and post-stamps enclosed.]
Palmyra, N. T., April 19, ISG^.
3fr. SiDXEY Rigdon, Friendship, Allegany Coxtnty, N. Y.
Dear Sie : I am emboldened to address you, with-
out the benefit of a personal acquaintance that you
will recognize, from having received a personal intro-
duction to you here in 1830. I heard your sermon at
the hall of our Palmyra Young Men's Association in
that year, in reference to the then new Mormon reve-
lation according to Josepli Smith, Jr.
ITS ORIGIN", EISE, AND PEOGRESS. 127
Are you willing to be consulted personally regard-
ing the origin of the Book of Mormon ? Or, will you
favor me by mail with any information such as may
suggest itself to you as useful to me in carrying out
a design in hand to write up for publication, a brief,
connected, and truthful history of Mormonism and its
founders, from the commencement to the present date
of that system ?
I was acquainted with Joseph Smith, Jr., and with
his father and the family, during their residence in
Palmyra and Manchester.
I shall feel obliged, at any rate, for an intimation
of your views and disposition in this matter, at your
early convenience, and would be happy to reciprocate
your kindness.
Very respectfully,
POMEROY TUCKER.
"No answer has been received from Mr. Kigdon.
Brigham Young, now the autocrat-prophet of the
Baints at Salt Lake City, in reply to the admonition of
a friend at the time he joined Smith and the Mormons
at Kirtland, said : " The doctrine Smith teaches is all
I know about the matter ; bring any thing against
that if you can ; as to any thing else, I don't care if
he acts like a devil ; he has brought forth a religion
that will save us, if we abide by it ; he may get drunk
every day of his life, sleep with his neighbor's wife
128 MOEMONISM :
every niglit, gamble, and run horses, and be guilty of
all you allege against him — I don't care any thing
about these questions, for I don't embrace the man in
my fliioh." This closed the argument.
Peter Ingersoll, a respectable citizen of Palmyra,
who had believingly taken some part in Smith's mon-
ey-digging operations, and was at first inclined to put
faith in his " Golden Bible " pretension, declared un-
der oath, that " Smith told him the whole story was
a hoax ; that he had found no such book ; but that as
he had got the d — d fools fixed, he was bound to carry
out the fun."
Testimony of the same tenor on this head might
be multiplied, if it were not considered superfluous.
ITS OKIGIN, RISE, AND PEOGRESS. 129
CHAPTER X.
Kirtland, Ohio— Maturity of the Mormon Church— Theology of the
Saints — Brigham Young converted — Martin Harris in Council —
A Division of the Mormons remove to Missouri — Saints under
Proscription.
At Kirtland, Ohio, the Mormons had a successful
though brief experience in the outset of their organi-
zation which had been imperfectly effected at their
starting-place in Manchester, N. Y. The nucleus of
their Church and hierarchy may be said to have ad-
vanced to maturity at this point in their progress.
Their doctrines, at first not at all clearly defined, were
yet somewhat vague and contradictory. It is pre-
sumed that neither Smith nor Higdon had at this time
determined what should be their precise character.
The new religion needed its finishing touch, but the
"revelation" capital was ample for this object. Aided
as they were by Parley P. Pratt, whose remarkable
instantaneous conversion had occurred at Manchester,
all confusion and conflict in regard to the fundamental
creed were speedily dispelled before- the light of the
Mormon gospel.
6*
V
130 MOEMONISM :
Joseph Smith, Sr., tlie first "patriarch and presi-
dent" of the Church, soon removed with his family
to Kirtland, and fulfilled the dignity of his office.
Harris early made a purchase of property there, and
took his place in the Church with the Smiths, Rigdon,
Pratt, Cowdery, the Whitmers, and other pioneers —
makino; occasional return visits in h^okinsr after his
property affairs at Pahnyra.
The next interest was to disseminate to the people
the newly revealed "latter-day" religion. The sys-
tem of missionary labor already inaugurated at Men-
tor, was put in active requisition ; the emissaries
pressed the cause with zeal and artistic effect ; the
trumpet of "the true gospel" was sounded to the
gentiles ; the superstitious and ignorant were cap-
tivated ; respectable men and women quaked amid
the scene; and conversions were multiplied and bla-
zoned abroad. A sensation was produced unparalleled
in the annals of that community; and multitudes, em-
bracing the Smith and Rigdon theoly, rushed into the
new Zion, as if believing the last days were at hand
in sober verity. And fanaticism stood aghast !
Thus was the Mormon Church matured, and the
colony of the saints speedily enlarged. Incomers from
a distance, professing the faith, reenforced their num-
bers, including some families of character, influence,
and wealth. The prophet, though "uneducated and
unlearned in worldly wisdom (quoting the phrase
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PROGRESS. 131
used), was acknowledged to possess by the spirit of
revelation great heavenly gifts, such as " speaking in
unknown tongues, performing miracles, and healing
the sick."
ISTo doubt Rigdon from the start had more to do
with this strange adventure than Smith ; for without
the fictitious "records" derived through his instru-
mentality from the Spaulding fable, the Mormon de- ^/
vice, in all probability, would never have been in-
vented. But as the result of circumstances. Smith
was necessarily the nominal chief; and, considering
his lack of cultivation, he must have been naturally
the superior genius of the two. He had been put
forward as the prophet, seer, and revelator, and his
native sagacity was equal to his opportunity. He
availed himself of his advantage in maintaining his
preeminence as the grand oracle and generalissimo ;
and he continued to exercise this superiority until the
day of his death.
Finding himself surrounded and sustained by large
and increasing numbers of believing followers, inclu-
ding some people of ample pecuniary means, Smith
tried a bold venture upon their credulity in his own
behalf. This was a "revelation" which he commu-
nicated to his disciples, to the effect that they should
" immediately build a house for the prophet, in which
he might live and translate." It was in February,
1831, and the command was cheerfully accepted and
132 MOEMONISM :
obeyed. Another revelation, alike successful, shortly
followed, commanding that " my chosen Joseph shall
not labor for a living,"
Though the impostor " seemed to intelligent men
little better than a buffoon, his followers regarded
him as almost deserving of adoration," and he was
enabled by their tribute to revel in whatever luxury
or profligacy was most agreeable to his vulgar taste
and ambition. His power was now next to omnip-
otent in Mormondom.
Brigham Young was converted and joined the
Mormons at Kirtland in 1832. Like Joseph Smith,
Jr., he was a native of Vermont, being his senior by
four years. It is a further noteworthy coincidence,
that all his father's family, consisting of five sons with
himself, and six daughters, became Mormons — the
father, John Young, afterward becoming j)resident
and patriarch of the Church. Furthermore, Brig-
ham's peculiarities of character were similar to Jo-
seph's. He was shrewd, bold, and resolute, possess-
ing an almost intuitive knowledge of men. He soon
attracted attention, and became influential with his
brethren. They were involuntarily swayed by his
strong, electrical will ; and he was recognized as a
man born to rule and lead the masses. He was soon
ordained one of the quorum of Twelve Apostles that
had been organized;, and in 1836, the president of
that body having apostatized, he was elected to sue-
BRIGHAM YOUNG.
133
ceed him. He went forth and preached and prose-
lyted with marked success. From that day to this
his influence and power within the jurisdiction of
Mormondom has been resistless.
Brigham Young was early trained to farming,
which was his father's occupation, but had learned
the trade of painter and glazier, which he followed in
the State of New York, until his Mormon conversion
at Kirtland. Here the coincidence between him and
Smith is broken, for the latter never learned a trade,
nor harbored a disposition to " labor for a living."
Up to 1834, the Mormon creed and system of
church government were altogether subject to the ca-
prices of " revelation." Smith, sustained by Rigdon,
Pratt, and Young, was the supreme ruler in fact over
both the spiritual and temporal affairs of his disciples.
It became necessary, to avoid possible discontents and
jealousies, to have an outward form of organization.
In carrying out this purpose a high council was formed
as folio vrs :
" This day a general council of twenty-four high
priests assembled at the house of Joseph Smith, Jr.,
by revelation, and proceeded to organize the high
council of the Church of Christ, which was to consist
of twelve high-priests, and one or three presidents, as
the case might require. The high council was ap-
pointed by revelation for the purpose of settling im-
portant difficulties which might arise in the Church,
134 MORMONISM :
which could not be settled by the Church or the
bishop's council to the satisfaction of the parties. —
" Joseph Smith, Jr., Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick
G. Williams, were acknowledged jDresidents by the
voice of the council ; and Joseph Smith, Sr., John
Smith, Joseph Coe, John Johnson, Martin Harris,
John S. Carter, Jared Carter, Oliver Cowdery, Sam-
uel H. Smith, Orson Hyde, Sylvester Smith, and Luke
Johnson, high-priests, were chosen to be a standing
council for the Church, by the unanimous voice of the
council."
Each quorum has its president ; and the president
of the quorum of three is the president of the high
council, and over all the Church, from whom " comes
the administration of ordinances and blessings upon
the Church, by the laying on of hands." Joseph
Smith, Jr., was the first president. The president is
" the seer, revelator, and prophet, having all the gifts
of God, which he bestows upon the head of the
Church." As president of the high council, he may,
"in cases of difficulty respecting doctrine or prin-
ciple, inquire and obtain the mind of the Lord by
revelation."
The prophet had previously provided for his su-
premacy in tha revelation :
'•' Behold, there shall be a record kept among you,
and in it thou shalt be called a seer, a translator, a
prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the
. ITS OEIGIN, KISE, Als^D PKOGEESS. 135
Cbnrcb, throno-h the will of God the Father, and the
grace of onr Lord Jesus Christ, being inspired of the
Holy Ghost to lay the foundation thereof, and to
build it up unto the most holy faith."
And the following important celestial enunciation
was added :
" But behold, verily, . verily, I say unto thee, no
one shall be aj^pointed to receive commandments and
revelations in this Church excepting my servant Jo-
seph Smith, Jr., for he receiveth them even as Moses ;
and thou shalt be obedient unto the things which I
shall give unto him, even as Aaron, to declare faith-
fully the commandments and revelations with pov/er
and authority unto the Churcb. And if thou art led
at any time by tbe Comibrter to speak or teach, or
at all times by the Avay of commandment unto the
Church, thou mayest do it ; but thou shalt not write
by way of commandment, but by wisdom. And thou
shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the
head of the Church ; for I have given him the keys
of the mysteries and the revelations which are sealed,
until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead."
By these exalted authorities, the prophet becomes
the president of the Church, and preserves his absolute
power over Morinondom. This absolutism was exer-
cised in continuing to put forth revelations, "perform-
ing miracles, preaching in unknown tongues, healing
the sick," and sending off missionaries ; and at the
136 MOEMONISM :
same time securing to himself nearly all the wealth
of his followers, under a system of tithing and other
forms of ecclesiastical appropriation.
Tithing, in the Mormon hierarchy, is a regular sys-
tem of the appropriation of individual property for the
support and aggrandizement of the prophet and his
priesthood. By an early revelation Smith discovered
that those having property should convey it to the
bishop and his counsellors for the support of the poor,
for the purchase of lands for the public benefit of the
Church, and the bnilding of houses of worship, etc. In
August it was revealed to Smith that " all the moneys
which can be spared, it mattereth not whether it be
little or much, be sent up unto the land of Zion, unto
them whom I have appointed to receive."
Subsequently, to meet the rising emergencies, the
prophet gave out this very definite revelation :
*' In answer to the question, O Lord, show unto
thy servants how much thou requirest of the proper-
ties for a tithing ? Yerily, thus saith the Lord, I re-
quire all their surplus property to be put into the
hands of the bishop of my Church of Zion, for the
building of mine house, and for the laying the foun-
dation of Zion, and for the priesthood, and for the
debts of the presidency of my Church ; and this shall
be the beginning of the yearly tithing of my people ;
and after that, those who have been thus tithed shall
pay one-tenth of all their iiiterest annually, and this
ITS OKIGm, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 137
shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my
holy priesthood, saith the Lord. Verily, I say unto
you, it shall come to pass that all those who gather
unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus
properties, and shall observe this law, or they shall
not be found worthy to abide among you."
The machinery of church government is diversified
in its functions, and is not altogether apparent to the
profane. The great, studied design, has been to secure
despotic power in the few chief impostors, and thus
perpetuate the Mormon hierarchy.
There are two priesthoods in the Church — the Mel-
chisedek and the Aaronic (which latter includes the
Levitical). All other authorities are appendages to
one or the other of these priesthoods. Each priest-
hood holds the key of the peculiar mysteries which
it has in charge. The hey is an important emblem in
Mormon symbolics. All heavenly mysteries are duly
locked up, and cannot be opened except by the agent
who is authorized to hold and use the key. The Mel-
chisedek is the superior priesthood, and consists of
high-priests and elders ; the Aaronic is inferior, and
made up of bishops, j)i'iests, teachers, and deacons.
The Melchisedek priesthood is clustered about with
holy sanctions and sublime mysteries, which strike
awe into the minds of the simple-minded believers.
For instance :
" And the sons of Moses, according to the holy
138 MOEMONISM :
priesthood which he received under the hand of his
lathcr-in-law Jethro, and Jethro received it under the
hand of Caleb, and Caleb received it nnder the hand
of Elihn, and Elihu nnder the hand of Jeremy, and
Jeremy under the hand of God, and God imder the
hand of Esaias, and Esaias received it under the hand
of God ; Esaias also lived in the days of Abraham,
and was blessed of him; which Abraham received the
priesthood from Melchisedek, who received it through
the lineage of his fathers, even till ISToah ; and from
Noah till Enoch, through the lineage of their fathers ;
and from Enoch to Abel, who was slain by tlie con-
spiracy of his brother, who received the priesthood by
the commandments of God, by the hand of his father
Adam, who was the first man ; which priesthood con-
tinueth in the Church of God in all generations, and
is without beginning of days or end of years."
The power and authority of the Melchisedek priest-
hood is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings
of the Church, to have the privilege of receiving the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the
heavens opened unto them, and to enjoy the com-
munion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus
Christ the Mediator of the new covenant.
The power and authority of the lesser, or Aaronic
priesthood, is to hold the keys of the ministering of
angels, and to administer in outward ordinances — the
letter of the gospel — the baptism of repentance for
139
the remission of sins, agreeably to the covenants and
commandments.*
The following sketch of the " Faith and Doctrine
of the Mormon Church " has heen publicly put forth
as the accepted theology of Mormonism :
" First, we believe in God the Eternal Father, and
in his Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost, Avho
bears record of them, the same throughout all ages
and forever.
*' We believe that all mankind, by the transgression
of their first parents, and not by their OAvn sins, were
brought under the curse and penalty of that trans-
gression which consigned them to an eternal banish-
ment from the presence of God, and their bodies to an
endless sleep in the dust, never more to rise, and their
spirits to endless misery under the power of Satan ;
and that, in this awful condition, they were utterly
lost, and fallen, and had no power of their own to ex-
tricate themselves therefrom.
" We believe that through the sufferings, death,
and atonement of Jesus Christ, all mankind, without
one exception, are to be completely and fully re-
deemed, both body and spirit, from the endless ban-
ishment and curse to which they were consigned by
Adam's transgression, and that this universal salva-
tion and redemption of the whole human family from
the endless penalty of the original sin, is effected
* Ferris' s " Utah and the Mormons."
140 MOEMONisM :
without any conditions whatsoever on their part ; that
is, that they are not required to believe, or repent, or
be baptized, or do any thing else, in order to be re-
deemed from that penalty ; for whether they believe
or disbelieve, whether they repent or remain impeni-
tent, whether they are baptized or unbaptized, whether
they keep the commandments or break them, whether
they are righteous or unrighteous, it will make no dif-
ference in relation to their redemj^tion, both spirit and
body, from the penalty of Adam's transgression. The
most righteous man that ever lived on the earth, and
the most wicked wretch of the whole human family,
were both placed under the same curse, without any
transgression or agency of their own, and they both
alike will be redeemed from that curse without any
agency or conditions on their part. Paul says, Rom.
V. 18 : ' Therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment
came upon all men to condemnation ; even so, by the
righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men
unto the justification of life.' This is the reason why
all men are redeemed from the grave. This is the
reason that the spirits of all men are restored to their
bodies. This is the reason that all men are redeemed
from their first banishment and restored into the pres-
ence of God ; and this is the reason that the Saviour
said, John xii. 32, ' If I be lifted up from the earth, I
will draw all men unto me.' After this full, complete,
and universal redemption, restoration, and salvation
141
of the whole of Adam's race, through the atonement
of Jesus Christ, without faith, repentance, baptism, or
any other works, then all and every one of them will
enjoy eternal life and happiness, never more to be
banished from the presence of God if they themselves
have committed no sin : for the penalty of the original
sin can have no more power over them at all, for Jesus
hath destroyed its power, broken the bands of the first
death, obtained the victory over the grave, delivered
all its captives, and restored them from their first
banishment into the presence of his Father ; hence
eternal life will be theirs, if they themselves are not
found transgressors of some law.
" We believe that all mankind, in their infant state,
are incapable of knowing good and evil, and of obey-
ing or disobeying a law ; and that therefore there is
no law given to them, and that where there is no law
there is no transgression ; hence they are innocent,
and if they should all die in their infant state, they
would enjoy eternal life, not being transgressors them-
selves, neither accountable for Adam's sin.
" We believe that all mankind, in consequence of
the fall, after they grow up from their infant state,
and come to the years of understanding, know good
and evil, and are capable of obeying and disobeying a
law, and that a law is given against doing evil ; and
that the penalty affixed is a second banishment from
the presence of God, both body and spirit, after they
142 MOEMONISM :
have been redeemed from the first banisliment and
restored into his presence.
" We believe that the penalty of this second law
can have no effect upon persons who have not had the
privilege, in this life, of becoming acquainted there-
with ; for although the light that is in them teaches
them good and evil, yet that light does not teach
them the law against doing evil, nor the penalty
thereof
" We believe that all who have done evil, having
a knowledge of the law, or afterward, in this life,
coming to the knowledge thereof, are under its pen-
alty, which is not inflicted in this world, but in the
world to come. Therefore such, in this world, are
prisoners, shut up under the sentence of the law,
awaiting, with awful feai', for the time of judgment,
when the penalty shall be inflicted, consigning them
to a" second banishment from the presence of their
Redeemer, who had redeemed them from the penalty
of the first law. Be assured, O sinner, that thou
canst not devise any way of thine own to escape, nor
do any thing that will atone for thy sins. Therefore
thy case is hopeless, unless God has devised some
way for thy deliverance ; but do not let despair seize
upon thee ; for though thou art under the sentence of
a broken law, and hast no power to atone for thy
sins, and redeem thyself therefrom, yet there is hoj^e
in thy case, for He w^ho gave the law has devised a
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 143
way for thy deliverance. That same Jesus, who hath
atoned for the original sin, and will redeem all man-
kind from the penalty thereof, hath also atoned for
thy sins, and offereth salvation and deliverance to
thee, on certain conditions to be complied with on
thy part.
"We believe that the first condition to be com-
j)lied with on the part of sinners is, to believe in God,
and in the sufieriugs and death of his Son Jesus
Christ to atone for the sins of the whole world, and
in his resurrection and ascension on high, to appear
in the presence of his Father, to make intercession
for the children of men, and in the Holy Ghost, which
is given to all who obey the gospel.
" That the second condition is, to repent : that is,
all who believe, according to the first condition, are
required to come humbly before God, and confess
their sins with a broken heart and contrite spirit, and
turn away from them, and cease from all their evil
deeds, and make restitution to all whom they have in
any way injured, as far as it is in their power.
" That the third condition is, to be baptized by
immersion in water in the name of the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost, for remission of sins : and that this
ordinance is to be administered by one who is called
and authorized of Jesus Clirist to baptize, otherwise
it is illegal, and of no advantage, and not accepted by
him ; and that it is to be administered only to those
144: MOEMONiSM :
persons who believe and repent, according to the two
preceding conditions.
" And that the fourth condition is, to receive the
laying on of hands, in the name of Jesus Christ, for
the gift of the Holy Ghost: and that this ordinance is
to be administered by the apostles or elders, whom
the Lord Jesus hath called and authorized to lay on
hands, otherwise it is of no advantage, being illegal
in the sight of God ; and that it is to be administered
only to those persons who believe, repent, and are
baptized into this Church, according to the three pre-
ceding conditions. These are the first conditions of
the gospel. All who comply with them receive for-
giveness of sins, and are made partakers of the Holy
Ghost. Through these conditions, they become the
adopted sons and daughters of God. Through this
process they are born again, first of water, and then
of the Spirit, and become children of the kingdom —
heirs of God — saints of the Most High — the church
of the first-born — the elect people, and heirs to a
celestial inheritance, eternal in the presence of God.
" It is the duty and privilege of the saints thus
organized upon the everlasting gospel, to believe in
and enjoy all the gifts, powers, and blessings which
flow from the Holy Spirit — such, for instance, as the
gifts of revelation, prophecy, visions, the ministry of
angels, healing the sick by the laying on of hands in
the name of Jesus, the working of miracles, and, in
ITS oEiGiN, eise; and peogress. 145
sliort, all tbe gifts as mentioned in Scripture, or as
enjoyed by the ancient saints. We believe that in-
spired apostles and prophets, together with all the
officers as mentioned in the New Testament, are ne-
cessary to be in the Church in these days."
The Mormons profess to found their faith and
doctrine, and their system of theocracy, upon the
common Bible and Book of Mormon. Very profound
reverence is paid by the disciples to the following
portion of the latter authority, giving an account of
Christ's descent from heaven among the ancient
JN'epliites in the wilderness — (from first edition. Book
of Mormon, p. 476) :
" And now it came to j^ass that there were a great
multitude gathered together, of the people of Nephi,
round about the temple which was in the land Boun-
tiful, and they were marvelling and wondering one
with another, and were showing one to another the
great and marvellous change which had taken place ;
and they were also conversing about this Jesus
Christ, of which the sign had been given, concerning
his death.
" And it came to pass that while they were thus
conversing one with another, they heard a voice, as
if it came out of heaven ; and they cast their eyes
round about, for they understood not the voice which
they heard ; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was
it a loud voice ; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it
146 MOEMONISM :
being a small voice, it did pierce them that did hear,
to the centre, insomuch that there Avas no part of
their frame that it did not cause to quake ; yea, it did
pierce tliem to the very soul, and did cause their
hearts to burn. And it came to pass that again they
heard the voice, and they understood it not ; and
again the third time they did hear the voice, and did
open their ears to hear it ; and their eyes were tow-
ard the sound thereof; and they did look stead-
fastly toward heaven, from whence the sound came ;
and behold, the third time they did understand the
voice which they heard ; and it saith unto them, Be-
hold, my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in
whom I have glorified my name : hear ye him.
"And it came to pass as they understood, they
cast their eyes up again toward heaven, and behold,
they saw a man descending out of heaven ; and he
was clothed in a white robe, and he came down and
stood in the midst of them, and the eyes of the whole
multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not
open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not
what it meant ; for they thought it was an angel that
had appeared unto them.
" And it came to pass, that he stretched forth his
hand, and spake unto the people, saying: Behold, I
am Jesus Christ, of which the prophets testified, that
should come into the world; and behold, I am the
light and the life of the world, and I have drank out
ITS OKIGESr, RISE, AND PEOGRESS. 147
of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me,
and have glorified the Father in taking upon me
the sins of the world, in the which I have suifered
the will of the Father in all things, from the be-
ginning.
" And it came to pass that when Jesus had spake
these words, the whole multitude fell to the earth, for
they remembered that it had been prophesied among
them that Christ should show himself unto them after
his ascension into heaven.
"And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto
them, sayiug : Arise and come forth unto me, that ye
may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye
may feel the prints of the nails in my hands, and in
my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of
Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been
slain for the sins of the world.
"And it came to pass that the multitude went
forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did
feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his
feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one,
until they had all gone forth, and did see with their
eyes, and did feel wdth their hands, and did know of a
surety, and did bear record, that it was he of whom it
was written by the prophets that should come.
" And it came to pass that when they had all gone
forth, and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry
out with one accord, saying, Hosanna ! Blessed be
148 MOKMONISM :
the name of tlie Most Higli God ! And they did fall
down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.
" And it came to pass that he spake unto Nephi,
(for Neplii was among the multitude,) and he com-
manded him that he should come forth. And Nephi
arose and went forth and bowed himself before the
Lord, and he did kiss his feet. And the Lord com-
manded him that he should arise. And he arose and
stood before him. And the Lord said unto him, I
give unto you power that ye shall baptize this peo-
ple, when I am again ascended into heaven.
" And again the Lord called others, and said unto
them likewise ; and he gave unto them power to bap-
tize. And he saith unto them. On this wise shall ye
baptize ; and there shall be no disputations among
you. Verily I say imto you, that whoso repenteth of
his sins through your words, and desireth to be bap-
tized in my name, on this wise shall ye baptize them :
Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and
in my name shall ye baptize them. And now behold,
these are the words which ye shall say, calling them
by name, saying : Having authority given me of Jesus
Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. And
then shall ye immerse them in the Avater, and come
forth again out of the water. And after this manner
shall ye baptize in my name, for behold, verily I say
unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy
ITS OEiam, EISE, AND PEOGIiESS. 149
Gliost, are cne ; and I am in the Father, and the
Father in me, and the Father and I are one. And
according as I have commanded you, thus shall ye
baptize. And there shall be no disputations among
you, as there hath hitherto been ; neither shall there
be disputations among you concerning the points of
my doctrine, as there hath hitherto been ; for verily,
verily, I say unto yon, he that hath the spirit of con-
tention is not of me, but is of the devil, which is the
lather of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of
men to contend with anger, one with another. ....
I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth
record of me, and tlie Holy Ghost beareth record of
the Father and me, and I bear record that the Fatlier
commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and be-
lieve in me ; and whoso believeth in me, and is bap-
tized, the same shall be saved ; and they are they
which shall inherit the kingdom of God. And whoso
believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be
damned Therefore, go forth mnto this peo-
ple, and declare the v/ords which I have spoken unto
the ends of the earth:
" And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken
these words unto Xephi, and to those which had been
called, (now the number of them which had been called
and received power and authority to baptize were
twelve,) and behold he stretched forth his hand unto
the multitude, and cried unto them, saying : Blessed
150 MORMONISM :
are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these
twelve which I liave chosen from among you to min-
ister unto you, and to he your servants ; and unto
theiQ I have given power, that they may bajDtize you
with water ; and after that ye are baptized with wa-
ter, behold I will baptize you with fire anel with the
Holy Ghost ; therefore, blessed are ye if ye shall be-
lieve in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen
me, and know that I am."
[Here follows in continuation nearly the whole of
Christ's Sermon on the Mount, as plagiarized fi-om
Matthew, with some immaterial alterations, omitting
the verse divisions and numbers.]
A Mormon temple was erected at Kirtland, at a
cost of about iifty thousand dollars, by contributions
in money and labor obtained from the saints through
the resistless power of Smith's revelation process.
Mormonism, however, became distasteful to the
unconverted people of Ohio, and especially obnoxious
to the outsido inhabitants residing at and near Kirt-
land. These outsiders were familiar, by information,
with the source and history of the "Golden Bible"
scheme, and scorned flie impostor as beyond the pub-
lic tolerance. The saints became involved in accu-
sations of immoral and criminal practices — to which,
with the feeling mentioned, and the general excep-
tionable demeanor of the leaders, may be traced the
pojDular opprobrium rising against the sect. More-
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AICTD PEOGRESS. 151
over, the " promised land " had heen looked for in a
more western region, and probably Kirtland had never
been fixed upon as a permjinent locality for the saints.
The two facts combined to determine the Mormoif au-
thorities npon a voluntary change of headquarters.
Rigdon and Cowdery had been sent forward as
missionaries and ex^^lorers to find a place for tlie
future Zion, and on .their return reported in favor
of Jackson County, Missouri. Smith and Rigdon re-
paired there to further view the situation, and they
concurred in the selection, and fixed upon the spot
now called Independence, in that county. Tlie occa-
sion called forth the following revelation in August
of the same year :
" Hearken, O ye elders of my Church, saith the
Lord your God, who have assembled yourselves to-
gether, according to ray commandments, in this land
which is the land of Missouri, which is the land which
I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of
the saints. Wherefore, this is the land of promise,
and the place for the city of Zion. Behold, the place
which is now called Independence is the centre place,
and the spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a
lot which is not far from the court-house ; wherefore it
is wisdom that the land should be purchased by the
saints ; and also my tract lying westward, even unto
the line rimning between Jcav* and Gentile; and also
* Lamanite ?
152
MOEMONISM
my tract bordering by the prairies, inasmuch as my
disciples are enabled to buy lands. Behold, this is
wisdom, that they may obtain it for an everlasting
inheritance. He that sendeth up treasures unto the
land of Zion shall receive an inheritance in this world,
and his works shall follow him, and also reward in the
world to come. Let all the moneys that can be spared,
it mattereth not whether it be little or much, be sent
up into the land of Zion, unto them whom I have ap-
pointed to receive."
A large tract of land was accordingly purchased
at the locality selected; a town site was laid out,
which they named Independence ; a division of the
Mormons removed there, and the work of upbuilding
was commenced at once and vigorously prosecuted.
ITS OKIGm, RISE, AI^D PEOGEESS. 153
CHAPTER XI.
Mormons in Missouri — Their Prosperity and Adversity — Failure of
Smith's Bank at Kirtland — The Prophet and Young. flee to Mis-
souri— Mob Conflicts — Interposition of Government Authorities
— The Saints driven out of the State — Scattered Tribes — Asylum
at Nauvoo.
Ix 1834, most of the Mormons of Ohio had joined
their brethren at Independence, Mo. They at once
engaged in industrial pursuits, many of them proceed-
ing to convert new lands into cultivated farms, while
the mechanics, artisans, and others, pursued their ap-
propriate callings in conducting improvements at the
centre. The town sprang up in quick time, with the
various establishments of industry necessary for em-
ployment and prosperity, including a printing-office,
conducted by W.. W. Phelps, late of Canandaigua,
>T. Y. He published a sort of religious paper called
the Evening and Morning Star^ which was to be
the adopted organ of the saints. Smith returned to
Kirtland, where Pratt and Young had remained, and
where he proposed to continue his residence for sev-
eral years, in order " to make money," as he said, for
154: MOEMONISM I
the benefit of the Church. He had there a sort of
bank of issue, on what was then called the "wild-cat"
principle, together with a store and a mill. ^ He had,
moreover, at Kirtland, a comfortable, well-furnished
dwelling-house, which the " saints " had provided for
him in obedience to revelation. He was, naturally
enough, in no haste to part with these luxuries, and
it was convenient for him to be " commanded of the
Lord " to retain his dwelling-jDlace as stated. Other
Mormons, chiefly those with families, also remained
behind, to work their farms and better prepare to join
the new settlement.
Rigdon took the temporary lead at Independence,
though he and Smith occasionally exchanged visits,
and continued to act harmoniously together in the
revelation business. At one period, however, during
this separation by locality, an alienation between
these worthies was apparently threatened by some
cause not deiinitely understood ; though this menace
— perhaps unfortunate for both of them ultimately —
w\as averted without an open rupture. Very likely
the aspiring ambition of Brighara Young, who was
with Smith at Kirtland at this time, was the chief
agency in giving rise to some jealousies ; but the
threatened rupture, if permitted by Smith to occur,
would have endangered if not blown up the whole
Mormon project. And, of course, the culmination
was averted.
ITS OEIGIN, KISE, AND PEOGEESS. 155
Smith's banking and commercial enterprises at
Kirtland finally resulted disastrously. His circulating
medium had no redeeming basis, and was worthless in
the hands of the people. His bank exploded, his mill
stopped, and his store closed. These secular opera-
tions proved him an incompetent banker, an indiffer-
ent merchant, and a poor business-man. The popular
excitement rose high against him and his religious
pretensions. His effects in Ohio were hastily dis-
posed of to the best practicable advantage, and in
1835 he accepted Missouri as his "j^romised land"
and safer abiding-place. Young fled with him.
In the month of January, 1838, Smith and Rig-
don, being at Kirtland together, were both arrested
on charges of swindling, in connection with their /
worthless paper bank and other fraudulent operations.
The suit was instituted by citizens who had become
incensed by the perplexing losses they had sustained ;
and they were understood to be joined in the pro-
ceeding by some disaffected or " apostate " Mormons.
The prisoners, however, escaped from the sheriff in |x^
the night, and made their way on horseback to Mis-
souri. Smith gave the following version of the affair
in the Evening and Morning Star^ at Independence :
" A new year dawned upon the Church at Kirt-
land in all the bitterness of the spirit of apostate
mobocracy, which continued to rage and grow hotter
and hotter, until Elder Rigdon and myself were
/
156 MOEMOXISM :
obliged to flee from its deadly influence, as did the
apostles and prophets of ' old, and as Jesus said,
'When they persecute you in one city, flee ye to
another ; ' and on the evening of the 12th of January,
about ten o'clock, we left Kirtland on horseback, to
escape mob Yiolence, which was about to burst upon
us, under the color of legal process to cover their hell-
ish designs, and save themselves from the just judg-
ment of the law. The weather was extremely cold,
and we were obliged to secrete ourselves, sometimes,
to elude the grasp of our pursuers, who continued
their race more than, two hundred miles from Kirt-
land, armed with pistols, etc., seeking our lives."
Before leaving Kirtland, the " saints " encountered
schisms and dissensions among themselves, such as
would have put an end to the progress of a less per-
severing people in a better cause. Renunciations,
secessions, and apostasies, at this period in their ca-
reer, had become common occurrences. And these /
troublous elements, as will be seen, were transmitted
to Missouri, and indeed wherever they have had ex-
istence. Expulsions from the Church, and published
proscriptions, have been the frequently occurring con-
sequences, though restorations have been brought
about when acceptable to the parties affected.
Martin Harris, it will be remembered, was the de-
voted follower and generous patron of Smith in the
times of his greatest need. He supplied the material
ITS OKIGm, EISE, AND PKOGEESS. 157
aid so necessary in starting the Mormon train. He
paid for printing the original edition of the " Golden v
Bible," thus supplying the foundation of the Mormon
Church ; and he gave to Smith his wedding-suit, on
the j^retence of its being consecrated to the " mission-
ary " service. Pie was, moreover, the sole " witness "
approaching to credibility in the matter of the ver-
itable existence of the metallic records. And not-
withstanding the failure of the book-printing as an
anticipated money speculation, he continued his lib-
eral contributions to Smith, accepting as binding the
latters " revelations " from time to time requiring his
coffers to be filled by the " saints." But Harris, becom-
ing reduced in his worldly circumstances, fell into dis-
repute with his trusted friend, who complained of his
extreme fanaticism, his loquacity and officiousness.
He demanded higher "spiritual" consideration in the
synagogue than was held to be consistent or safe by
the prophet. The fanaticism that was so welcome
when available in the raising of jjecuniary means, was
not at all the qualification required by the cunning
Smith in the conductors of the imposture at its ma-
turity. Appeals were made for recognition of the
obligation imposed and the promises made at Man-
chester and Palmyra. But these appeals were un-
heeded by Smith. Having lost his property and his
home in the incipiency of the "Baint" speculation,
the cheated fanatic was ungratefnlly discarded by the
158 MOKMONISM :
now comparatively affluent recipient of liis early mu-
nificence.
The alienation was widened, and the feud became
bitter. Smith posted Harris and others in the " Elder's
Journal" in this form :
" There are negroes who wear white skins, as well
as black ones — Grames Parish and others who acted
as lackeys^ such as Martin Harris y but they are so
far beneath contempt, that a notice of them would be
too great a sacrifice for a gentleman to make.''''
Harris was exj)elled from the Church. He was,
however, afterward awarded a restoration, which
proffer of grace he declined, and permanently seceded
from the Smith organization. He nevertheless main-
tained his adhesion to his Mormon faith. This is in
accordance with his own declaration as made when
he was last at the scene of his early delusion, in the
summer of 1858. Then his condition was that of ex-
treme poverty, being an object of dee2>felt sympathy
to the contemporaries of his days of prosperity. His
last fixed residence is understood to have been at
Kirtland,
Others of the pioneer "saints" found difficulties in
their pathway. Oliver Cowdery, the amanuensis to
the translator of the Golden Bible, and David Whit-
mer, another of the "witnesses" in this matter, ap-
pear to have been prominent among those falling into
transgression and tribulation. At Independence, Rig-
ITS OKIGIN, EISE, AND PKOGKESS. 159
don publicly charged these men with being connected
with "a gang of counterfeiters, thieves, liars, and
blacklegs of the deepest dye," and with "deceiving,
cheating, and defrauding the saints." And Hyruni
Smith, who had been imprisoned in the Jackson Coun-
ty jail, wrote this certificate of character for Cowdery :
" Those with whom I had been acquainted from
my youth, and who had ever pretended the greatest
friendship toward me, came to my house while I was
in prison, and ransacked and carried off many of my
valuables ; this they did under the cloak of friendship.
Among those who treated me thus, I cannot help
making mention of Lyman Cowdery, who, in connec-
tion with his brother, Oliver Cowdery, took from me
a great many things ; and to cap the climax of his in-
iquity, compelled my aged father, by threatening to
bring a mob upon him, to deed over to him, or to his
brother Oliver, about one hundred and sixty acres of
land, to pay a note which I had given to Oliver for
one hundred and sixty-five dollars."
Oliver Cowdery was afterward arraigned before
the Church, and found guilty of the following among
other charges :
" Seeking to destroy the character of Joseph
Smith, Jr., by falsely insinuating that he was guilty
of adultery.
" Disgracing the Church by being connected with
the bogus business, as common report says."
160 MORMONISM :
Conviction and expulsion were the fate of Cow-
dery, in this instance ; though he was shortly after-
ward received again into the bosom of the Mormon
sanctuary, and continued his labors as an accredited
" elder " of that persuasion.
In Missouri, after a brief career of prosperity, the
history of the Mormons became one of almost con-
tinuous warfare with the citizens of the neighboring
country as a community, and with the public author-
ities of their different localities and the State. Jeal-
ousies and dissensions among themselves aggravated
their afflictions and their perils. But determination
and 25^1'severauce, such as is repelled by no obstacles
within human endurance, marked the character of
Smith and his associate leaders to the last — Mormon-
ism knowing no other motto than "onward," while its
pursuit is possible.
The interests of their embryo town (Independence)
having been confided to committees appointed for that
purpose, who had been indefatigable in the prosecu-
tion of the required improvements, the place had come
to contain about twelve handred Mormons in 1834.
At this early period of their Missouri history, the
alleged licentious character and fraudulent practices
of the " saints," added to some real or fancied offences
in regard to the then existing slavery question, caused
an excited state of feeling among the Missouri people
against them. They were accused of stealing cattle
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 161
and other property, of being connected with counter-
feiting gangs, and of nearly all the various offences
in the criminal catalogue.
A public meeting of the inhabitants of the sur-
rounding towns was called to consider the subject of
ridding themselves of the source of their annoyance.
The meeting was held on the 20th of July, at which it
was resolved to expel the Mormons from the State.
What was characterized as an "indecent and libellous
publication" had appeared in Phelps' paper, and this
served to inflame still more the excited minds of the
Missourians. Riotous scenes of violence followed.
The printing-office was destroyed, several of the
" saints " were tarred and feathered, and others were
killed and wounded while defending their rights.
By the interposition of the local authorities, a tem-
porary suspension of this mob violence followed, but
the populace refused to revoke their resolution. The
meeting reassembled on the 23d of July, in augmented
and armed force, when the determination fo.r the ex-
pulsion of the whole Mormon tribe from the State was
unanimously voted. Conferences were held between
the belligerents, resulting in an agreement on the part
of the " saints " to remove from Jackson County as
soon as practicable, reserving the privilege of an op-
portunity to dispose of their property and provide for
removal. The agreement was in writing, and signed
by the leaders of the two parties. The Mormons
162 MOEMONISM :
were to be allowed the time until the following spring
to complete their part of the agreement.
In the interim, the governor of the State was ap-
pealed to by the Mormons for redress, and he advised
them to ap2)ly to the courts. Accordingly, encouraged
by this favor of the State, suits were commenced
against several of the ringleaders of the mob ; and
having taken the advice of Smith at Kirtland, the
aggrieved party resolved to disregard the forced
treaty and maintain their ground. Further lawless
violence was thus provoked ; a sort of civil war took
place ; both parties were armed ; and two Missourians
were among the killed. The saints were overpowered.
The Mormons now hastily abandoned their posi-
tion, most of them going into Clay County as a tem-
porary refuge, expecting to return to Independence
and resume their possessions there after judicial action
should secure to them protection. The persecution
endured by them enlisted in their behalf the general
sympathies of the people, and brought in converts.
They spread into Caldwell and Davies Counties, estab-
lishing the city of Far West in the latter county, and
under the prevailing impulse continued for a while to
prosper and multiply their numbers.
The Missourians " found in their midst an isfnorant,
clannish population, combined together by religious
fanaticism, arrogant and overbearing in their preten-
sions, and completely under the control of a single
ITS OKIGm, RISE, AND PEOGRESS. 163
■will." The popular outside feeling again became ex-
cited against the tribe. This gave rise to a public
meeting of the inhabitants in June, 1836, by which a
resolution was passed admonishing the obnoxious
community to leave the State — time being allowed
them as before to harvest their crops and dispose of
their property. The " saints," fearing the consequences
of a different policy, agreed to the proposal.
In the mean time, the Mormons had not sold their
property at IndeiDendence; and, under Smith's advice,
refused to sell at any price, contending that " the Lord
had said that Zion should not be removed out of her
place ; therefore the land should not be sold, but be
held by the saints, until the Lord in his wisdom opens
a way for their return." Criminal proceedings were
instituted against those who had forcibly ejected the
ovAiers, and were in some instances lawlessly occupy-
ing the property.
Time passed ; one provocation led to another ; mob
violence revived ; the State militia was called out by
the governor ; both parties were armed ; Smith deter-
mined to defend his legal rights at all hazards ; and
mortal combat was imminent. The sum and sub-
stance of the result was, the anti-Mormons achieved
an easy victory. None Avere killed or seriously
wounded on either side. The Prophet Joseph and
his brother Hyrum, with some forty others of their
party, were captured and imprisoned in the county
^1
164 MOEMONISM :
jail. Thus ended this struggle, and the Mormons
finally agreed with the State authorities that they
would permanently leave the State. What height-
ened the difiiculty of the Mormons in this, as in the
former conflicts, was the fact of their having to en-
counter exasperated seceders among the most savage
of their enemies.
General Clark, who commanded the Missouri State
militia in this aifair, said, in a dispatch to Governor
Boggs, :N'ovem"ber 10, 1838:
" There is no crime, from treason down to petit
larceny, but these people, or a majority of them, have
been guilty of — all, too, under the counsel of Joseph
Smith, Jr., the prophet. They have committed trea-
son, murder, arson, burglary, robberj^, larceny, and
perjury. They have societies formed under the most
binding covenants in form, and the most horrid oaths,
to circumvent the laAvs and put them at defiance ; and
to plunder, and burn, and murder, and divide the
spoils for the use of their Church." "
In answer to this dispatch, the governor wrote to
the general, that " the ringleaders of the rebellion
should be made an example of; and, if it should be-
come necessary to the public peace, the Mormons
should be exterminated or expelled from the State."
The Mormons could not longer stem the tide of
popular exasperation against them, and had no other
alternative than to quit Missouri, which they did as
1G5
speedily as possible. By agreement, commissioners
were ajipointecl by the Governor to sell their prop-
erty, pay their debts, and aid them in removing.
The Legislature appropriated two thousand dollars for
this object, and liberal contributions to the same end
were made by individuals. Many of the retreating
families were in destitute circumstances, and could
not have gone without great distress, but for the
means thus supplied.
Thus reduced to fugitives and wanderers, the pro-
scribed " saints " were compelled to scatter in different
directions. Their condition would now challenge
comparison with that of the "scattered tribes" of
their Babylonish ancestors. They had almost come
to doubt, indeed, that " the earth is the residence of
the saints." Before the close of 1839 they had all
been driven from Missouri.
Governor Boggs, in a special communication on this
subject to the Missouri Legislature, in 1840, thus re-
fers to the Mormons :
" These people had violated the laws of the land
by open force and avowed resistance to them; they
had undertaken, without the aid of the civil authority,
to redress their real or fancied grievances ; they had
instituted among themselves a government of their
own, independent and in opposition to the govern-
ment of this State, that had, at an inclement season
of the year, driven the inhabitants of an entire county
166 MOEMOinSM:
from their liomes, ravaged their cro]:*?, and destroyed
their dwellings. Under these circumstances, it be-
came the imperious duty of the executive to inter-
fere, and exercise the powers with which he was in-
vested to protect the lives and property of our citi-
zens, to restore order and tranquillity to the county,
and maintain the supremacy of the laws."
Leaving Missouri,. the Mormons crossed the river
into Illinois, most of them findino; refug-e in Hancock
County — some of them, however, returning to Ohio,'
and a few of the repentant dupes withdrawing en-
tirely from the brotherhood. The main body estab-
lished themselves at the point on the Mississippi, in
Hancock County, which they named Nauvoo.
Perhaps the occasion should not pass without the
remark, that by enlightened 23eople the Mormons were v/
regarded as the victims of misguided vengeance in
Missouri. The ruffianly violence they encountered at
the hands of lawless mobs, in several instances eventu-
ating in deliberate murder, finds no extenuation in
any alleged provocation. The due process of law
might have afforded adequate redress for the crim-
inalities of which they should be found guilty on
legal trial. Such w^as the view of the subject rightly
taken by the people of Illinois and of the Avorld,
though it may have been wrongfully applied in favor
of the cause of the persecuted.
rrS OEIGIX, EISE, AXD PE0GEES3. 167
CHAPTER Xn.
Mormons settle at NauToo — Public Sympathr — Accessions and Con-
versions— City Charter — Revelations for Temple and Nauvoo
House — Spiritual "Wifeism and Polygamy.
Ix 1840, XauYOO had become the chief seat of
Mormonism. The scattered " saints " had found a ref-
uge on the Illinois side of the Mississippi, in Hancock
County, which they named as above. They were
generally welcomed and congratulated by the people
of the surrounding country. Xotwithstanding the
atrocious character of the religious imposture pur-
sued, and the false and delusive pretensions of its con-
ductors, the cry of persecution, so well founded in
truth, enlisted the public sympathy in behalf of the
proscribed exiles from Missouri. The advantages of
the situation were seized by Prophet Smith and his
apostles and elders. Preachers and missionaries were
put in active and efficient service, and vast numbers,
both converts and unbelievers, flocked in to aid the
enterprise of building up a new city. The persever-
ance and bravery that had been displayed by the
168 MOEMONISM ;
leaders, and the endurance and enthusiasm evidenced
by their ignorant and fanatical followers, amid all the
varieties of their good and evil fortune, would have
deserved hig-h admiration in a meritorious cause.
From Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt,* and
others, who had been sent out from Ohio and Missouri
as foreign missionaries, to spread the Mormon gospel
to the uttermost parts of the earth, vividly encoura-
ging accounts were received by Prophet Smith. In
the spring of 1841, Young shipped from Liverpool to
New York for the " promised land," seven hundred
and sixty-nine of the faithful ; and at the same time
returned himself to Nauvoo, leaving in England,
Scotland, and Wales, numerous churches with or-
ganizations completed, as the results of the labors of
himself and his colleagues. The Book of Mormon
had been republished and disseminated, tracts printed
and distributed, religious papers established and cir-
culated, and all the proselyting machinery set in
operation in those countries, such as were calculated
to convince and w^in the minds suitably constituted
to receive the pretensions put forth.
These immigrants, followed by similar masses
from abroad, were joyfully received at Nauvoo, rap-
* Pratt rejoined the Mormon brotlierhood at Salt Lake, and was
afterward assassinated by the exasperated husband of a woman who
had been converted to Mormonism in Arkansas, in 1856. See Ap-
pendix for particulars.
ITS OKIGIN, EISE, AKD PEOGEESS. 169
idly augmenting the population of that " Saints' rest."
Like accessions of foreign converts had been pre-
viously received in Missouri ; and these, with others
originally destined for that State, were turned to the
new city. Mormonism was proving its claim as the
grand focus of the fanatical element of the world.
Smith saw his opportunity and embraced it. He
put forth a revelation, in which, among other require-
ments, a temple was commanded to be builf, and the
saints, far and near, were called upon to come for-
ward with their gold, silver, precious stones, and
property and means of every kind needed, and also
with the labor of their hands to fulfil this " require-
ment of the Lord." The response v/as prompt and
enthusiastic. Li the same season, with imposing cere-
monies, was laid the corner-stone of a temple, which
was to compare in size and magnificence with Solo-
mon's at Jerusalem. An efiective lever in aid of this
enterprise was the Mormon invention of the doctrine
of " baptism for the dead," whereby the living could
be baptized for the salvation of the souls of deceased
friends. This, to be efficacious, must be done in a
spiritually dedicated temple. The doctrine continues
to be a prominent feature in the Mormon faith and
practice.
A liberal city charter was obtained from the Il-
linois Legislature, in 1842, grantmg, among other
extraordinary powers, that of raising a strong mili-
lYO MOEMONISM :
tary orgauization. The " JSTaiivoo Legiou," extending
finally to an armed force of four thousand men, with
Smith as the general in command, was one of the
fruits of this State action. Smith superbly equipped
himself, and called to his aid a sj^lendid staff. At the
last dress parade of the Legion, he was accompanied
in the field by a display of ten of his spiritual wives
or concubines, dressed in a fine uniform, and mounted
on elegant white horses.
Mormonism Avas more than itself again, and things
went on swimmingly. The " saints " were now esti-
mated to number from twelve to fifteen thousand, in
Nauvoo City and its vicinity. Smith had introduced
the system of "spiritual wifeism," and had largely
increased his household by celestial '' ensealment."
This was the preliminary step of polygamy, or its
practical adoption, though it had not yet been re-
vealed as a tenet in the Mormon creed. Howbeit, he
wanted a house built for himself, and made a call
upon his followers. It was a revelation for a hotel
institution, in which he was to have his headquarters,
concluding as follows :
" Therefore, let my servant Joseph, and his seed
after him, have place in that house from generation to
generation, for ever and ever, saith the Lord; and let
the name of that house be called the ISTauvoo House ;
and let it be a delightful habitation for man, and a
resting place for the weary traveller."
ITS OEIGIN, RISE, AND PKOGRESS. 171
This command, like all other communications from
the same source, was accepted as of heavenly authen-
ticity, and fulfilled with alacrity ; for it was reasoned
by his disciples, th'at " an uneducated man who could
outdo all the wisdom of the world in translating the
hieroglyphic records constituting the Book of Mormon,
can be no other than an inspired prophet who is to be
obeyed."
The ISTauvoo House was built, and amply fur-
nished, and Smith Avas at once its proprietor and chief
guest. Suites of well-furnished, rooms were appropri-
ated to the use of himself and. his family — most of his
spiritual wives continuing to live at their res^^ective
homes, some of them remaining with their believing
temporal husbands. He revelled in luxury, played
the gentleman and the saint, hospitably entertained
his friends, and became exceedingly popular in the
Church and in the outside world. From the vaga-
bondish, taciturn, penniless "Joe Smith," at the be-
ojinnino; of his »Mormon scheme, he had become the
rubicund, genial, affluent autocrat -prophet, of two
hundred and twenty pounds avoirdupois, with forty
wives all told. His children could not be enumerated
with any degree of accuracy.
Tbe great Mormon ruler, in addition to his extra-
ordinary ecclesiastical prerogatives, was now (1843)
commandant of the ISTauvoo Legion, mayor of the city,
and " monarch of all he surveyed." He aspired to yet
1Y2 MOKMONISM :
higher dignity, and was announced in the Times
and Seasons as a candidate for the presidency of the
United States. He held correspondence with Clay
and Calhoun upon grave national topics, especially
in reference to the policy he ought to pursue if
he should be elected. Thousands of his followers
cherished an undouhting faith' in the realization of
such a result. By his tithing levies, he had amassed
a fortune estimated at a million of dollars, as property
was valued at Nauvoo. The number of converts, at
home and abroad, was claimed to be one hundred
thousand, and rapidly increasing.
Such is a glancing view of Suiith's spiritual and
temporal circumstances when the first revelation in
favor of polygamy occurred. This heavenly com-
munication, however, Avas for years withheld as a
* secret from all but the initiated dignitaries of the
Chnrcli. It was not, indeed, generally admitted as a
part of the religion of the " saints," until after the he-
gira to Salt Lake, when its first publication appeared
by authority in the Beseret News, September 14, 1852.
From that date it has been accepted as a fundamental
tenet in the Mormon theology.
This subject may be regarded as a vastly impor-
tant one, whether considered as the epoch of an insti-
• tution under assumed religious sanctions, which is
condemned by the laws and by the civilization of the
age, or in reference to the ultimate consequences and
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 1Y3
perils to the sect immediately affected. Both on this
account, and as a further specimen of the Smith-Rig-
don adroitness in " revelation," the essential portions
of the docimient are here inserted. As officially pro-
mulgated in the manner above stated, it is entitled —
" Hevelation given to Joseph Smithy JVauvoo, July
12th, 1843.
"Verily, thus saitli the Lord unto you, my servant
Joseph, that inasmuch as you haA^e inquired of my
hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord,
justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; as
also Moses. David, and Solomon, my servants, as
touching the principle and doctrine of their having
many wives and concubines: Behold! and lo, I am
the Lord thy God, and will answer thee, as touching
this matter : therefore, prepare thy heart to receive
and obey the instructions which I am about to give
unto you; for all those who have this law revealed
unto them must obey the same ; for behold ! 1 reveal
unto you a new and an everlasting covenant, and if ye
abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no
one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter
into my glory
"And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of
this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds,
obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections,
associations, or expectations, that are not made, and
176 MOEMONISM :
ever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they
commit no murder, wherein they shed innocent blood,
yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and
enter into their exaltation ; but they shall be de-
stroyed in the flesh, and shall be delivered unto the
bufietings of Satan, unto the day of redemption, saitli
the Lord God
" I am the Lord thy God, and will give unto thee
the law of my holy priesthood, as was ordained by
me and my Father before the world was. Abraham
received all things, Avhatsoever he received, by revela-
tion and commandment, by my word, saith the Lord,
and hath entered into his exaltation, and sitteth upon
his throne.
" Abraham, received promises concerning his seed,
and of the fruit of his loins — ^from whose loins ye are.
viz., my servant Joseph — which were to continue so
long as they were in the world ; and as touching
Abraham and his seed out of the world, they should
continue; both in the world and out of the world
should they continue as innumerable as the stars ; or,
if ye were to count the sand upon the sea-shore, ye
could not number them. This promise is yours also,
because ye are of Abraham, and the promise was
made unto Abraham, and by this law is the continu-
ation of the works of my Father, wherein he glori-
fieth himself. Go ye, therefore, and do the works of
Abraham; enter ye into my law, and ye shall bo
177
saved. But if ye enter not into my law, ye cannot
receive the promises of my Father, which he made
unto Abraham.
" God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave
Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it ?
Because this was the law, and from Hagar sprang
many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among
other things, the promises. Was Abraham, therefore,
under condemnation ? Verily, I say unto you. Nay ;
for the Lord commanded it. Abraham was com-,
manded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was
written. Thou shalt not kill. Abraham, however, did
not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for right-
eousness.
" Abraham received concubines, and they bare him
children, and it was accounted unto him for righteous-
ness, because they were given unto him, and he abode
in my law; as Isaac also, and Jacob, did none other
things than that which they were commanded; and
because they did none other things than that which
they were commanded, they have entered into their
exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon
thrones; and are not angels, but are gods. David
also received many wives and concubines, as also
Solomon, and Moses my servant, as also many others
of my servants, from the beginning of creation until
this time, and in nothing did they sin, save in those
things which they received not of me.
8*
176 MOKMONisM :
ever, and all manner of blasphemief^, and if tbey
commit no murder, wherein they shed innocent blood,
yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and
enter into their exaltation ; but they shall be de-
stroyed in the flesh, and shall be delivered unto the
bufietings of Satan, unto the day of redemption, saith
the Lord God
" I am the Lord thy God, and will give unto thee
the law of my holy priesthood, as was ordained by
me and my Father before the world was. Abraham
received all things, whatsoever he received, by revela-
tion and commandment, by my word, saith the Lord,
and hath entered into his exaltation, and sitteth upon
his throne.
" Abraham, received promises conceniing his seed,
and of the fruit of his loins — from whose loins ye are,
viz., my servant Joseph— which were to continue so
long as they were in the world; and as touching
Abraham and his seed out of the world, they should
continue; both in the world and out of the world
should they continue as innumerable as the stars ; or,
if ye were to count the sand upon the sea-shore, ye
could not number them. This promise is yours also,
because ye are of Abraham, and the promise was
made unto Abraham, and by this law is the continu-
ation of the works of my Father, wherein he glori-
fieth himself. Go ye, therefore, and do the works of
Abraham; enter ye into my law, and ye shall bo
ITS OEIGIN", EISE, AND PEOGRESS. 1^7
saved. But if ye enter not into my law, ye cannot
receive the promises of my Father, which he made
unto Abraham.
" God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave
Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it ?
Because this was the law, and from Hagar sj^rang
many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among
other things, the promises. "Was Abraham, therefore,
under condemnation ? Verily, I say unto you, Nay ;
for the Lord commanded it. Abraham was com-,
manded to offer his son Isaac ; nevertheless, it was
written. Thou shalt not kill. Abraham, however, did
not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for right-
eousness.
" Abraham received concubines, and they bare him
children, and it was accounted unto him for righteous-
ness, because they were given unto him, and he abode
in my law; as Isaac also, and Jacob, did none other
things than that which they were commanded; and
because they did none other things than that which
they were commanded, they have entered into their
exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon
thrones; and are not angels, but are gods. David
also received many wives and concubines, as also
Solomon, and Moses my servant, as also many others
of my servants, from the beginning of creation until
this time, and in nothing did they sin, save in those
things which they received not of me.
8*
178 MOEMONISM :
"David's wives and concubines were given unto
him of me by the hand of Kathan my servant, and
others of the prophets who had the keys of this
power; and in none of these things did he sin against
me, save in the case of Uriah and his wife ; and, there-
fore, he hath fallen from his exaltation, and received
his portion ; and he shall not inherit them out of the
world, for I gave them unto another, saith the Lord.
" I am the Lord thy God, and I give unto thee,
my servant Joseph, an appointment, and restore all
things ; ask what ye will, and it shall be given unto
you, according to my word ; and as ye have asked
concerning adultery, verily, verilj^, I say unto you, If
a man receiveth a wife in the new and everlasting
covenant, and if she be with another man, and I have
not appointed unto her by the holy anointing, she
hath committed adultery, and shall be destroyed. If
she be not in the new and everlasting covenant, and
she be with another man, she has committed adultery ;
and if her husband be with another woman, and he
was under a vow, he hath broken his vow, and hath
committed adultery; and if she hath not committed
adultery, but is innocent, and hath not broken her
vow, and she knoweth it, and I reveal it unto you, my
servant Joseph, then shall you have power, by the
power of my holy priesthood, to take her, and give
her unto him that hath not committed adultery, but
hath been faithful; for he shall be made ruler over
ITS OEIftIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 179
many; for I have conferred upon you the keys and
power of the priesthood, wherein I restore all things,
and make known nnto you all things in due time.
" And verily, verily, I say unto you. That whatso-
ever you seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven ; and
w^hatsoever you bind on earth, in my name and by my
word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in
the heavens ; and whatsoever sins you remit on earth,
shall be remitted eternally in the heavens ; and what-
soever sins you retain on earth, shall be retained in
heaven
" And again, verily, I say unto you, my servant
Joseph, That whatsoever you give on earth, and to
whomsoever you give any one on earth, by my word
and according to my law, it shall be visited with
blessings and not cursings, and with my power, saith
the Lord, and shall be without condemnation on earth
and in heaven, for I am the Lord thy God, and will
be with thee even unto the end of the world, and
through all eternity ; for verily I seal upon you your
exaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the king-
dom of my Father, with Abraham your fither. Be-
hold ! I have seen your sacrifices, in obedience to that
which I have told you ; go, therefore, and I make a
way for your escaj^e, as I accejDted the ofl:ering of
Abraham, of his son Isaac.
" Verily, I say unto you, A commandment I give
unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith, your wife, whom I
180 MOKMONISM :
have given imto you, that she stay herself, and par-
take not of that which I commanded you to offer unto
her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to prove you all, as I
did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at
your hand by covenant and sacrifice ; and let mine
handmaid, Emma Smith, receive all those that have
been given unto my servant Josei)h, and who are
virtuous and pure before me ; and those who are not
pure, and have said they were pure, shall be de-
stroyed, saith the Lord God ; for I am the Lord thy
God, and ye shall obey my voice; and I give unto
my servant Joseph that he shall be made ruler over
many things, for he hath been faithful over a few
things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him.
" And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith,
to abide and cleave unto my servant Joseph, and to
none else. But if she will not abide this command-
ment, she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord, for I am
the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide
not in my law ; but if she will not abide this com-
mandment, then shall my servant Joseph do all things
for her, as he hath said; and I will bless him, and
multiply him, and give unto him an hundred-fold in
this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and
sisters, houses and lands, wives and children, and
crowns of eternal lives in the eternal worlds. And
again, verily, I say, Let mine handmaid forgive my
servant Joseph his trespasses, and then shall she be
181
forgiven her trespasses, Avherein she hath trespassed
against me; and I, the Lord thy God, will bless
her, and multi23ly her, and make her heart to re-
joice.
" And again, I say, let not my servant Joseph put
his property out of his hands, lest an enemy come and
destroy him — for Satan seeketh to destroy — for I am
the Lord thy God, and he is my servant ; and behold !
and lo, I am with him, as I was with Abraham thy
father, even unto his exaltation and glory
" And again, as pertaining to the law of the priest-
hood : if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to es-
pouse another, and the first give her consent ; and if
he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have
vowed to no other man, then is he justified ; he can-
not commit adultery, for they are given unto him ; for
he cannot commit adultery with that belonging unto
him, and to none else ; and if he have ten virgins
given unto him by this law he cannot commit adul-
tery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto
him ; therefore is he justified. But if one or either
of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with
another man, she has committed adultery, and shall
be destroyed ; for they are given unto him to multiply
and replenish the earth, according to my command-
ment, and to fulfil the promise which was given by
my Father before the foundation of the Avorld, and
for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they
182 MOEMONISM :
may bear the souls of men ; for herein is the work of
my Father continued, that he may be glorified.
" And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, If any
man have a wife who holds the keys of this jDower,
and he teaches unto her the law of my priesthood as
pertaining to these things, then shall she believe and
administer unto him^ or she shall be destroyed, saith
the Lord your God ; for I will destroy her ; for I will
magnify my name upon all those who receive and
abide in my law. Therefore it shall be lawful in me
if she receive not this law, for him to receive all things
whatsoever I, the Lord his God, will give unto him,
because she did not believe and administer unto him
according to my word ; and she then becomes the
transgressor, and he is exempt from the law of Sarah,
who administered unto Abraham according to the
law, when I commanded Abraham to take Hagar to
wife. And now, as pertaining to this law, A^erily,
verily, I say unto you, I will reveal more unto you
hereafter; therefore let this suffice for the present.
Behold ! I am Alpha and Omega. Amen."
ITS ORIGIN, EISEj AND TKOGEESS. * 183
CHAPTER XIII.
The Polygamous Revelation— Vices of the Saints— Criminations and
Recriminations— Conflict with State Authorities— Assassination
of Joseph and Hyrum Smith — Young succeeds to the Spiritual
Dictatorship — Rigdon defeated and expelled.
The inteqDolation of polygamy into ^Yhat had
been received by the disciples of Mormonism as their
established religious and theocratic system, appears
to have been put forth to the apostles and elders
by Prophet Smith under great embarrassments. He
knew it was a bold, if not a hazardous venture ; for
he was aAvare that his privy councils were divided
upon the questions of expediency and safety involved.
He feared that it might serve to open the blinded
eyes of the honest zealots who were held spell-bound
to his supposed inspired will. Moreover, he foresaw
the scorn and detestation with which it was certain
to be regarded by the Gentile world. A further rea-
son, if not the more essential one, for apprehension
and concealment, was probably found in the fact that
by the law of Illinois the practice of polygamy was
184 • MOEMONISM :
declared " bigamy," punishable by heavy fine and im-
prisonment in the penitentiary.
The occasion called for the exercise of extraordinary
ingenuity, and his invention was this : To those of his
believing councillors whose dissent he anticipated, he
professed great concern of mind on account of the
spiritual mandate under which he had been placed,
and appointed a convocation of his council to take
action upon the subject. When the time for assem-
bling arrived, he went through the solemn farce of
fleeing the city on horseback, rather than be the me-
dium of communicating a revelation so repugnant to
his mind ! But he soon returned, with the awful
story that he was met by an angel w^ith a drawn
sword, who commanded him, at the peril of instant
death, to return and fulfil liis mission. Of course he
obeyed ; such authority was not to be trifled with ;
and his estimate of the credulity of the superstitious
minds he had to deal with was amply vindicated.
Another difficulty with Smith, perhaps, may have
been found in the embarrassment which he felt in
reconciling this polygamous revelation with the teach-
ings of his own Book of Mormon :
" And were it not that I must speak unto you con-
cerning a grosser crime, my heart would rejoice ex-
ceedingly because of you. But the word of God bur-
dens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold,
thus saith the Lord, This people begin to wax in in-
185
iquity ; they understand not the Scriptures ; for they
seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms,
because of the things which were written concerning
David, and Solomon his son. Behold, David and
Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which
thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this peo-
ple forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power
of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous
branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph ; where-,
fore I, the Lord God, will not suffer that this people
shall do like unto them of old. Wherefore, my breth-
ren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord ;
for there shall not any man among you have save it
be one Avife, and concubines he shall have none ; for
I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women ;
and whoredoms are an abomination before me."
Again, the same authority, in the plagiarism from
Christ's Sermon on the Mount, has this passage ;
" Behold, it is written by them of old time, That
thou shalt not commit adultery ; but I say unto you,
That whosoever looketh on a woman, to lust after her,
hath committed adultery already in his heart."
And still again, the Mormon book of " Doctrine
and Covenants " contains the following ecclesiastical
law in regard to marriage ;
" You both mutually agree to be each other's com-
panion, husband and wife, observing the legal rights
186 MOEMONISM :
belonging to this condition ; that is, keeping your-
selves wholly for each other, and from all others,
during your lives."
The polygamists assume, however, to find author-
ity for their apparent inconsistency, in the following
passage of the Mormon scripture :
" For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up
seed iinto me, I will command my people ; otherwise,
they shall hearken unto these things."
It must be by a very forced construction that the
authority sought in the premises can be drawn from
this text of the Mormon bible. The simple truth of
the case is, that the revelation had become a "re-
ligious necessity." Smith, Young, Rigdon, Pratt, and
others in the same dilemma, had proceeded too far
in the mysteries of polygamy (practised under a dif-
ferent name), and the system had become too inter-
woven with their "latter-day " saintism, to admit of
any alternative in their course, or continued conceal-
ment from the inner circle. Further explanation is
deemed superfluous in this relation. A repetition of
the offensive particulars already extant in the history
of the parties imx^licated, and of the Mormon abom-
ination generally, might seem more than is required
by the public sense.
But at this era, saintly troubles were rapidly re-
viving and aggregating. Schisms, dissensions, and
apostasies, were again rife in Mormondom. The II-
1ST
linois people were intolerant and restive in view of
the vices and criminalities in various forms ascribed
to the latter-day hypocrites. These were necessarily
the sources of acrimonious feeling and bitter hate be-
tween the conflicting communities. And to these
causes, aggravated as they were by the partially
transpiring polygamous revelation, with its concom-
itants and antecedents, may be traced the final event
of the violent death of its author — which was fol-
lowed in two years by the dispersion of the Mormon
colony from Nauvoo. For, although as before ex-
plained, the practice of polygamy, then present and
retrospective, with the existence of the Smith dictum
itself, was positively denied by the guilty parties, and
this, too, in a public sermon by Elder Pratt ; the facts
of the case were nevertheless sufficiently patent, both
within and without the Church, to discredit the solemn
averments of the Mormons in high places, and thus in-
tensify the bitterness of the pervading feud.
From this time forward there was found " no peace
for the wicked." Added to the common imputations
of hypocrisy and imposture, charges of licentiousness,
adultery, seduction, theft, dishonesty, and crime in
greater variety than ever, were brought against the
doomed leaders and their bigoted followers, both in-
dividually and collectively. Slander suits were com-
menced on the one side, and criminal proceedings in-
stituted on the other. Litigation followed litigation,
188 MOEMONISM :
pro and con. Dr. R. D. Foster, a seceder (formerly
of Palmyra, not one of the "pioneers"), charged
Smith with the offence of spiritual "sealing" with
his wife. Suits multij^lied. Attempts to arrest Smith
and other dignitaries of the Church were resisted by
military power. . The charge of treason was brought
against the offending " saints." Still, Mormon de-
fiance against the Illinois authorities was persisted in,
and General Joseph Smith and his brother Ilyrum, at
the head of the I^Tauvoo Legion, opposed Governor
Ford's State militia which had been called out to en-
force obedience to law. The aspect was threatening.
The o'overnor, anxious to avoid the terrible slauiJjh-
ter impending, proposed to the Smiths a surrender as
prisoners to thfe sheriff, and the disbandment of their
legion as their only course of safety for their own
lives and for their city. This proposal was finally
acceded to, the governor promising them protection
against violence from the excited populace on their
way to jail and during their imprisonment. Accord-
ingly, the legal arrest was made, and they were con-
veyed to the county jail at Carthage. Pursuant to
tlie governor's treaty stipulation, the jail was placed
under a military guard to protect the prisoners against
the known existence of a prevalent avenging feeling,
particularly existing on the part of Mormon dissen-
tients whose domestic sanctums were alleged to have
been invaded. Elder John Taylor and Dr. William
ITS OEIGIK, EISE, AND PEOGEESS.
189
Richards were also arrested and placed in the same
room with the Smiths.
The prisoners had been in the jail but a few days,
when the governor's guard became reduced by the
desertion of most of the men detailed, and late in the
afternoon of the 27th of June, 1844, the remnant of
the guard were overpowered by a mob of two hun-
dred disguised and armed men, bent upon wreaking
summary vengeance for real or imaginary wrongs.
They broke open the prison doors, rushed in and fired
upon the helpless inmates, killing the two Smiths, and
wounding Elder Taylor severely. Dr. Richards es-
caped to tell the tale, which he did in the following
language, dating June 27, 1844, as published in the
Nauvoo Times and Seasons:
" A shower of musket-balls were thrown up the
stairway against the door of the prison in the second
story, followed by many rapid footsteps, while Gen-
eral Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith, Mr. Taylor, and
myself, who were in the front chamber, closed the
door of our room against the entry at the head of the
stairs, and placed ourselves against it, there being no
lock on the door, and no ketch that was useable. The
door is a common panel, and, as soon as we heard the
feet at the stairs' head, a ball was sent through the
door, which passed between us, and showed that our
enemies were desperadoes, and we must change 'our
position. General Smith, Mr. Taylor, and myself,
190 MOEMONISM :
sprang back to the front part of the room, and Hy-
rum Smith retreated two-thirds across the chamber,
directly in front of and facing the door. A ball was
sent through the door, which hit Hyrum on the side
of his nose, when he fell backward, extended at
leno'th, without niovino- his feet. From the holes in
his vest (the day was warm and no one had their
coats on but myself), pantaloons, drawers, and shirt,
it appears evident that a ball must have been thrown
from without, through the window, which entered his
back on the right side, and, passing through, lodged
against his watch, which was in his right vest-pocket,
completely pulverizing the crystal and face, tearing
off the hands, and mashing the Avbole body of the
watch ; at the same instant the ball from the door en-
tered his nose. As he struck the floor, he exclaimed
emphatically, * I'm a dead man ! ' Joseph looked
toward him, and responded, * Oh dear ! brother Hy-
rum ! ' and opening the door two or three inches wdth
his left hand, discharged one barrel of a six-shooter
(pistol) at random in the entry; from whence a ball
grazed Hyrum's breast, and, entering his throat,
passed into his head, while other muskets were aimed
at him, and some balls hit him. Joseph continued
snapping his revolver round the casing of the door
into the space as before — three barrels of which
missed fire — while Mr. Taylor, with a walking-stick,
stood by his side, and knocked down the bayonets
191
and muskets wbich were constantly discharging
through the doorway, w^hile I stood by him, ready
to lend any assistance, with another stick, but could
not come within striking distance without going di-
rectly before the muzzles of the guns. When the re-
volver failed, we had no more firearms, and, expecting
an immediate rush of the mob, and the doorway full
of muskets — half way in the room, and no hope but
instant death from within — Mr. Taylor rushed to the
window, which is some fifteen or twenty feet from the
groimd. When his body was nearly on a balance, a
ball from the door within entered his leg, and a ball
from without struck his watch, a jiatent lever, in his
vest-pocket, near the left breast, and smashed it in
* pi ' ; the force of which ball threw him back on the
floor, and he rolled under the bed Avhich stood by his
side, where he lay motionless, the mob from the door
continuing to fire upon him, cutting away a j)iece of
flesh from his left hip as large as a man's hand, and
were hindered only by my knocking down their muz-
zles with a stick ; while they continued to reach their
guns into the room, probably left-handed, and aimed
their discharge so far around as almost to reach us in
the corner of the room to where we retreated and
dodged, and then I recommenced the attack with my
stick again. Joseph attempted, as the last resort, to
leap the same window from whence Mr. Taylor fell,
when two bails pierced him from the door, and one
192 MOEMONISM :
entered his right breast from without, and he fell out-
ward, exclaiming, ' O Lord, my God ! ' As his feet
went out of the window, my head went in, the balls
whistling all around. Pie fell on his left side, a dead
man. At this instant the cry was raised, ' He's leaj^ed
the window ! ' and the mob on the stairs and in the
entry ran out. I withdrew from the window, think-
ing it of no use to leap out on a hundred bayonets
then around General Smith's body. . . . Mr. Taylor
called out, ' Take me.' I pressed my way till I found
all doors unbarred ; returning instantly, I caught Mr.
Taylor under my arm and rushed by the stairs into
the dungeon or inner prison, stretched him on the
floor, and covered him with a bed in such a manner
as not likely to be perceived, expecting an immediate
return of the mob. I said to Mr. Taylor, '^his is a
hard case to lay you on the floor, but, if your wounds
are not fatal, I want you to live to tell the story.' I
expected to be shot the next moment, and stood be-
fore the door awaiting the onset."
The popular excitement ran high. The emotions
were those of mingled indignation, sympathy, and
vengeance. ISTauvoo was in commotion. Precaution-
ary measures were at once taken to prevent a general
bloody outbreak. The Governor hastened to the scene,
and, intensely wrought upon by the brutal murder
that had been perpetrated in violation of the pledge
he had given, sent orders to the Mormons to defend
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PROGRESS. 193
themselves if necessary, in the best manner possible,
until he could send them protection. But further vio-
lence was happily averted.
The Governor published the following explanatory
statement :
" I desire to make a brief but true statement of the
recent disgraceful affair at Carthage, in regard to the
Smiths, so far as circumstances have come to my
knowledge. The Smiths, Joseph and Hyrum, have
been assassinated in jail ; by whom it is not known,
but will be ascertained. I pledged myself for their
safety ; and upon the assurance of that pledge they
surrendered as prisoners. The Mormons surrendered
the public arms in their possession, and the Nauvoo
Legion submitted to the command of Captain Single-
ton, of Brown County, deputed for that purj)ose by
me. All these things were required to satisfy the old
citizens of Hancock that the Mormons were peaceably
disposed, and to allay jealousy and excitement in their
minds. It appears, however, that the cbmj)liance of
the Mormons with every requisition made upon them
failed of that purpose. The pledge of security to the
Smiths was not given upon my individual responsi-
bility. Before I gave it, I obtained a pledge of honor,
by a unanimous vote from the officers and men under
my command, to sustain me in performing it. If the
assassination of the Smiths was committed by any
portion of these, they have added treachery to mur-
194 MOEMONISM :
der, and have done all they could to disgrace the
State and sully the public honor.
" On the morning of the day the deed was com-
mitted, we had proposed to march the army under
my command into Nauvoo. I had, however, dis-
covered, on the evening before, that nothing but utter
destruction of the city would satisfy a portion of the
troops ; and that, if we marched into the city, pre-
texts would not be wanting for commencing hos-
tilities. The Mormons had done every thing required,
or which ought to have been required of them. Of-
fensive operations on our part would have been as
unjust and disgraceful as they would have been im-*
politic, in the present critical season of the year, the
harvest, and the crops. For these reasons, I decided,
in a council of officers, to disband the army, except
three companies, two of which were reserved as a
guard for the jail. With the other company I
marched into [Mauvoo, to address the inhabitants
there, and tell them what they might expect in case
they designedly or imprudently provoked a war. I
performed this duty, as I think, plainly and emphat-
ically, and then set out to return to Carthage. When
I had marched about three miles, a messenger in-
formed me of the occurrences at Carthage. I has-
tened on to that place. The guard, it is said, did
their duty, but were overpowered."
The bodies of the victims were taken to Nauvoo,
AND PROGRESS. 195
and their burial was attended with imposing solem-
nities. The immediate effect upon the Mormons of
this appalling assassination was to cancel or wipe out
of remembrance all the spreading vices of the la-
mented prophet, and throw a halo of glory around,
his character as a martyr who had' sealed with his
blood the truth of his divine pretensions. The out-
side public sentiment being terribly shocked by the
catastrophe, sympathy in a large degree suj^erseded
the feeling of indignation and malice.
A writer in the Christian Reflector^ at the time of
the assassination, thus described the character of the
prophet :
" Various are the opinions concerning this singular
personage ; but whatever may be thought in reference
to his principles, objects, or moral character, all agree
that he was a most remarkable man. Born in the
very lowest walks of life, reared in poverty, educated
in vice, having no claims to even common intelligence,
coarse and vulgar in deportment. Smith succeeded in
establishing a religious creed, the tenets of which
have been taught throughout America ; the prophet's
virtues have been rehearsed in Europe ; the ministers
of Nauvoo have found a welcome in Asia ; Africa has
listened to the grave sayings of the seer of Palmyra ;
the standard of the Latter-Day Saints has been reared
on the banks of the Nile ; and even the Holy Land
has been entered by the emissaries of this impostor.
/
/
196 MOEMONISM :
He founded a city in one of tlie most beautiful situa-
tions in the world, in a beautiful curve of the ' Father
of Waters,' of no mean pretensions, and in and about
it he had collected a population of twenty-five thou-
sand, from every part of the world. The acts of his
life exhibit a character as incongruous as it is remark-
able. If we can credit his own words, and the testi-
mony of eye-witnesses, he was at the same time the
vicegerent of God, and a tavern-keeper — a prophet,
and a base libertine — a minister of peace, and a lieu-
tenant-general— a ruler of tens of thousands, and a
slave to all his own base passions — a preacher of right-
eousness, and a profane swearer — a worshipper of
Bacchus, mayor of a city, and a miserable bar-room
fiddler — a judge on the judicial bench, and an invader
of the civil, social, and moral relations of men — and,
notwithstanding these inconsistencies of character,
there are not wanting thousands willing to stake their
souls' eternal salvation on his veracity."
The Mormon Times and Seaso7is paid the follow-
ing high tribute to the virtues of Smith — understood
to have been written by his ever-faithful accomplice,
Rigdon, who expected to be acknowledged as his
spiritual successor :
" He wa« one of the best men that ever lived on
earth. The work he has thus far performed toward
establishing pure religion and preparing the way for
the great gathering of Israel, in the short space of
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 197
twenty years since the time when the angel of the
Lord made known his mission, and gave him power
to move the cause of Zion,* exceeds any thing of the
kind on record. Yfithout learning, without means,
and without experience, he has met a learned world,
a rich century, a hard-hearted, wicked, and adulterous
generation, with truth that could not be resisted, facts
that could not he disproved, revelations whose spirit
liad so much God in them that the servants of the
Lord could not be gainsayed or resisted, but, like the
rays of light from the sun, they have tinged every thing
they lit upon with a lustre and livery which has ani-
mated, quickened, and adorned. The pages of his
history, though his enemies never ceased to persecute
him, and hunt for offences against him, are as unsul-
lied as the virgin snow."
The temple, which, in an unfinished state, had
been in use for some length of time, in conducting the
religious services, spiritual-wife solemnities, and other
mystic ceremonies of Mormonism, was completed in
the fall of 1844, a few months after the death of the
* In this calculation of '' twenty years," the writer dated back to
the money-digging era, several years anterior to the Mormon inven-
tion. The palpable design was to persist in the after-thought inven-
tion that the "hidden records" had been revealed to Smith in 1823,
before Rigdon's mysterious appearance at the scene, though they
were not permitted to be taken until 1827. No such pretension was
made until after Rigdon's connection with the imposture had become
publicly known. It is only a piece of Mormon cunning.
198 MOEMONISM :
Smiths. It was constructed of white limestone, one
hundred and twenty-eight feet long, by eighty-eight
feet wide, and two stories or sixty feet high, with a tow-
er one hundred feet in height. Each of the two stories
had two pulj^its, to accommodate the Melchisedek
and Aaronic priesthoods. There was a baptismal
font in the basement, as authoritatively explained,
" for the baptism of the living, for health, for remis-
sion of sin, and for the salvation of the dead, as was
the case with Solomon's Temple, and all temples that
God commands to be built." Its cost, raised by the
tithing system, and computing the gratuitous labor
bestowed under " revelation," was about a million of
dollars.*
The feoil of Mormonism had been fertilized by the
blood of the Smiths. In any and every view of the
subject, the murder was a great mistake as well as a
great crime. A church founded in falsehood and
hypocrisy has been strengthened, if not perpetuated,
by its supporting influence. Indeed, it is rational to
believe that, but for the opportunity thus afforded, to
fasten in enslaved, superstitious minds, the impression
of the " martyrdom " of their patron saint, the Mor-
mon monstrosity would ere this have tottered to its
everlasting fall and annihilation.
The general consternation having subsided, Mor-
mondom became the arena of agitation and contest
* The temple was destroyed by fire in 1848.
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PKOGEESS. 199
for the dictatorship. Sidney Rigdon very naturally
claimed the successorship by priority of inheritance,
and assumed to fulfil its functions. Coequally with
Smith, he had been associated with the origin and up-
building of the Mormon Church and hierarchy. He
was, equally with his deceased accomplice, the " author
and proprietor" of the miraculously translated metallic
book forming the basis of that power. He had ever
been his predecessor's first counsellor and bosom
friend, from the beginning of the grand experiment.
Brigham Young was alike amibitious ; he disputed
the pretensions of Rigdon, and aspired himself to the
high position of " Prophet of the Lord." The strife
became rancorous and unrelenting. Rigdon's reign
was brief, and the termination of his career inglorious.
Young was president of the Twelve Apostles, and was
popular and influential in the Church. Rigdon lacked
these elements of success, and was the inferior of his
rival in the adroitness of demagoguism. Young de-
nounced him as an impostor, and his revelations as
"emanations from the devil." This spiritual and
political warfare eventuated in Rigdon's expulsion
from the Church, and he was formally " delivered
over to the buffetings of Satan, in the name of the
Lord. Amen." Young was unanimously elected to
the presidency of the Church, and has ever since main-
tained his despotic sway.
Finally, Rigdon left the Mormons in virtuous dis-
200
MOEMONISM :
gust, and after halting awhile at his former residence
in Pennsylvania, settled down in his present passive
mood in Allegany County, N. Y., as has been stated.
William Smith, the only surviving brother of
Joseph the prophet, also made an effort to assume the
domination at ^N'auvoo; but, as in Rigdon's case,
Young made short work with him, and liis expulsion
was the consequence.
Joseph Smith, third, the oldest of four legitimate
sons of the late prophet, continues to live with his
widowed mother, Emma Smith, near Nauvoo, in easy
pecuniary circumstances. He claims to be the right-
ful head of the Church by inheritance, but is power-
less against the indomitable will and all-pervading
shrewdness of Brigham Young. He is opposed to
polygamy, and denies the genuineness of the revela-
tion on that subject attributed to his father.
It yAH thus be observed, tliat Mormonism has
wholly passed from the direction of its original in-
ventors and founders and their posterity, and become
an independent and self-reliant institution.
The popular consideration in behalf of the " saints,"
which was the immediate corollary of the assassination
problem, was brief in its duration. It was succeeded
in the course of a year by a final determination, on
the part of the Illinois people, to drive the whole
tribe from the State; and they were compelled to
seek a new home beyond the borders of civilization.
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PKOGRESS. 201
Young and his privy council accepted what ap-
peared to be the popular conclusion, and made ar-
rangements accordingly. They publicly announced
their purpose, and the following is among their ex-
planatory declarations to their followers :
" We, the members of the High Council of the
Church, by the voice of all her authorities, have
unitedly and unanimously agreed, and embrace this
opportunity to inform you, that we intend t© send
out into the Western country from this place, some-
time in the early part of the month of March, a com-
pany of pioneers, consisting mostly of young, hardy
men, with some families. These are destined to be
furnished with an ample outfit, taking Avith them a
printing-press, farming utensils of all kinds, with mill-
irons and bolting-cloths, seeds of all kinds, grain, etc.
"The object of. this early move is to put in a
spring crop, to build houses, and to prepare for the
reception of families, who will start as soon as grass
shall be sufficiently grown to sustain teams and stock.
Our pioneers are instructed to proceed west until they
find a good place to make a crop, in some good valley
in the neighborhood of the Rocky Mountains, where
they will infringe upon no one, and be not likely to
be infringed upon. Here we will make a resting-place
until we can determine upon a place for a permanent
location.
" Much of our property will be left in the hands
202 MOEMONISM :
of competent agents for sale at a low rate, for teams,
for goods, and for cash. The funds arising from the
sale of property will be applied to the removal of
families from time to time, as fast as consistent ; and
it now remains to be proven whether those of our
families and friends who are necessarily left behind
for a season, to obtain an outfit through the sale of
property, shall be mobbed, burned, and driven away
by forc'e.
" We agreed to leave the county for the sake of
peace, upon the condition that no more vexatious
prosecutions be instituted against us. In good faith
we have labored to fulfil this engagement. Governor
Ford has also done his duty to further our wishes in
this respect. But there are some who are unwilling
that we should have any existence anywhere."
The proscribed sect made the best and earliest
practicable preparations for departure, and in Feb-
ruary their first fleeing company, numbering sixteen
hundred persons, crossed the Mississippi upon the ice
with ox-teams, toward their western destination. The
increasing exasperation of the Illinois people, and the
consequent dangers of the situation, had led to a
modification of the original plan of longer delay.
ITS OEIGIN, RISE, AND PKOGEESS. 203
CHAPTER XIV.
Exodus from Illinois — Bold Adventure of Brigham Young — Suffer-
ings on the Plains — Mexican War and Mormon Battalion — Ar-
rival at Salt Lake — State of Deseret and Territory of Utah-
Young declared "Prophet of the Lord" — Corner-stone of the
new Temple.
Beigham Youn^g directed the grand flight of the
Mormons to an unexplored and unexpected region
west of the Rocky Mountains. Their point of des-
tination was in the deserts of California, then in
Mexico, now in the United States Territory of Utah.
Bands of young men as pioneers had j^receded the
general movement, for the purpose of exploring the
route and providing the supplies and accommodations
necessary for the wending caravans.
The emigrant trains, commencing their journey in
February, 1846, and continuing their movements from
Nauvoo until August of the same year, proceeded to
a resting-place that had been selected for them upon
the unoccupied prairies near Council Bluffs, where
they mostly dwelt in tents during theii' sojourn.
204: MOEMONISM I
Great suffering was experienced on the route, from
fatigue, privation, and sickness ; and here the sick-
ness continued with even greater severity, being ag-
gravated by the cholera, which raged with appalling
mortality. And again complaints were heard of dep-
redations upon the property of the scattering settlers.
Roaming bands of Mormons were accused of stealing
cattle from the grazing domains ; and in this partic-
ular probably their Missouri history was prevented
from repeating itself only by the sparseness of the
population who complained of these aggressions.
The once flourishing Mormon city in Illinois, with
its magnificent temple, luxurious Nauvoo House,
spiritual- wife a^ agarics, polygamous harems, diver-
sified Latter-Day-Saint institutions, and their super-
stitious devotees, was now left nearly a depopulated
desert waste.
The news of the Mexican war met the emigrants
at their resting-place near Council Bluffs. There was
a call for volunteers. Young and his coadjutors had
apprehended ultimate conflict with the Mexican au-
thorities, and deemed it essential to be on good terms
with the United States. Quick to perceiA^e his oppor-
tunity, the great leader sent an agent to Washington
with the tender of a volunteer battalion to the Gov-
ernment. It was accepted, and the men were speedily
raised and sent to the field. Young received from the
Government twenty thousand dollars for this patriotic
ITS OSIGIN, KISE, AND PEOGRESS. 205
demonstration, a large proportion of winch sum was
appropriated for liis own private use and toward the
material aid required in carrying forward his colonial
enterprise. Accompanied by a party of devoted, hardy
pioneers, with some of his elders, he then went west-
ward upon an exploring expedition, to select a site
for their future Zion, which they located in Great Salt
Lake valley, where a preliminary survey was made
for a city. A portion of their party returned to the
temporary encampment in Iowa, to recommence the
forward movement, the residue remaining to proceed
with the preparatory improvements at the selected
site.
The first companies of the emigrants, numbering
about four thousand, arrived in the valley in July,
1847. The Indians received these people with hos-
pitality. Indeed, no unfriendly demonstrations had
been experienced from the savage tribes at any time
during the journey. The Mormons had succeeded
in favorably impressing them with respect to their
friendly sentiments and spiritual endowments.
This grand adventure of Young and his followers,
unprecedented for its boldness and success since the
journeyings of their ancient "ancestors" from Je-
rusalem, is graphically described in Dixon's New
America :
" Young advised his followers to yield their prize,
to quit the world in which they had found no peace,
206 MOEMONISM :
and set up their tabernacles in one of those distant
wilds in the far West which were then trodden by-
no feet of men, except those of a few red Indian
tribes, Utes, Pawkes, and Shoshones, in what was
called the American Desert, and was considered by
everybody as no man's land. It was a bold device.
Beyond the western prairies, beyond the Rocky Moun-
tains, lay a howling wilderness of salt and stones, a
property which no white man had yet been greedy
enough to claim. Some pope, in the middle ages, had
bestowed it on the crown of Spain, from which it had
fallen, as a paper waste, to the Mexican rej^ublic ; but
neither Spaniard nor Mexican had ever gone up north
into the land to possess it. In the centre of this howl-
ing wilderness lay a Dead Sea, not less terrible than
Bahr Lout, the Sea of Lot. One-fourth of its water
was known to be solid salt. The creeks which ran
into it were said to be putrid ; the wells around it
were known to be bitter ; and the shores for many
miles were crusted white with saleratus
" Trappers, who had looked down on the salt val-
ley from peaks and passes in the Wasatch Mountains,
pictured it as a region without life, without a green
slope, even without streams and springs. The wells
were said to be salt, as the fields were salt. Finding
no wood and scarcely any fresh water in that region,
these explorers had set their seal upon this great
American Desert as a waste unfit for the dwelling
ITS OEIGIK, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 207
and incapable of the sustenance of civilized men.
But Young thought otherwise. He knew that where
the ' saint ' had struck his spade into the ground— at
Kirtland in Ohio, at Independence in Missouri, at
Nauvoo in Illinois — he had been always blessed with
a plentiful crop ; and the new Mormon seer had faith
in the same strong sinews, in the same rough hands,
in the same keen will, being able to draw harvests of
grain from the desolate valley of Salt Lake. . . .
"Young knew that in crossing the great plains
and in climbing the great ranges which are loosely
clubbed together under the name of Rocky Moun-
tains, the privations of his people would be sharp ;
but to his practical eye these sufferings of the flesh
appeared to be such as brave men could be trained
by example to bear and not die. Food and seed
might be carried in their light wagons, and a little
malt whiskey would correct the alkali in the bitter
creeks
" Pressed upon by their foes, they marched away
from ISTauvoo, even while the winter was yet hard
upon them, crossing the Mississippi upon the ice, and
started on a journey of fifteen hundred miles through
a country without a road, without a bridge, without a
village, without an inn, without wells, cattle, pastures,
or cultivated land."
Young had not yet been accepted by the Church
as " prophet, seer, and revelator," in the full celestial
208 MORMONISM :
sense that had been recognized in the case of the
martyr Smith. His aj^pointment at Nauvoo extended
only to the general successorship as first president in
the ruling power of the hierarchy. He felt the em-
barrassment of his semi-prophetism. His "visions,"
as heavenly behests, were received with divided opin-
ions ; for he feared to attempt the enforcement of
" revelations " or commands. Some murmurings had
been heard relative to battalion-money questions, and
these may have added to the delicacy of his position.
He foresaw the dangers impending for the want of
absolutism. As soon as reorganization was secured,
he called a general meeting of the Church to consider
the matter. Ascending the platform, he made solemn
professions of " communion with the spirit of Prophet
Joseph," at the same time going through with a series
of impressive mimicries of his predecessor, in his pe-
culiar style of theatric adroitness. The performance
proved completely convincing to his audience. Ever
since this successful experiment upon the superstitious
elements of Mormondom, the pervading belief has
been that the mantle of Joseph has fallen upon Brig-
ham. By unanimous vote he was declared to be the
" Prophet of the Lord ; " and his despotic authority
as ruler of the " Church of Latter-Day Saints of Jesus
Christ in all the world," is undisputed by adhering
Mormons. He appointed Heber C, Kimball and Wil-
liam Richards as his privy council, and these, with
209
himself, constituted the trio called the " First Presi-
dency."
Among the events of the Mexican War was the
cession of California to the United States in 1848.
Young, by superficial survey in 1849, established the
State of Deseret, embracing a very large and scarcely
defined domain ; and Utah Territory was organized
by act of Congress in 1850. The Mormon Deseret
government was put in operation through the me-
dium of a convention assembled under a proclamation
of Young, about the time of the territorial action at
Washington, and was constituted in the following
manner : Brigham Young, Governor ; Heber C. Kim-
ball, Lieutenant-Governor ; Daniel H. Wells, Chief
Justice ; together with a Legislative Council, which
enacted a code of State laws. Young also received
the United States appointment of territorial governor
for Utah ; and a Legislature for the Territory and a
delegate to Congress were elected. The population
of the Territory was composed almost wholly of Mor-
mons and Indians, and the personal constitution of
these preliminary governmental organizations could
scarcely have been different.
In July, 1851, a full complement of Federal officers
to fill unsupplied vacancies in Utah Territory, appoint-
ed at Washington, arrived and entered upon their re-
spective official duties. Brigham Young and Heber
C. Kimball were continued as Governor and Lieu-
210 MOEMONISM :
tenant-Governor, and their colleagues, were Lemuel C.
Brandenburg, Chief Justice ; Perry E. Brochus and
Zerubbabel Snow, Associate Justices ; Seth M. Blair
Attorney-General ; and B. D. Harris, Secretary.
Church and municipal affairs having become in a
measure systematized, Governor Young issued the fol-
lowing " proclamation for a day of praise and thanks-
giving," dated December 19, 1851 :
" It having pleased the Father of all good to make
known his mind and will to the children of men in
these last days, and through the administration of
his angels to restore the holy priesthood unto the sons
of Adam, by which the gospel of his Son has been
proclaimed, and the ordinances of life and salvation
are administered; and through which medium the
Holy Ghost has been communicated to believing,
willing, and honest minds ; causing faith, wisdom,
and intelligence to spring up in the hearts of men,
and influencing them to flow together from the four
quarters of the earth to a land of peace and health,
rich in mineral and vegetable resources, reserved of
old in the councils of eternity for the purposes to
which it is now appropriated ; a land choice above all
other lands ; far removed from the strifes, contentions,
divisions, moral and physical commotions, that are
disturbing the peace of the nations and kingdoms of
the earth —
"I, Brigham Young, governor of the Territory
ITS OEIGm, RISE, AUB PEOGEESS. 211
aforesaid, in response to the time-honored custom of
our fathers at Plymouth Rock, by the Governors of
the several States and Territories, and with a heart
filled with humiliation and gratitude to the Fountain
of all good for his multiplied munificence to his chil-
dren, have felt desirous to, and do proclaim Thursday,
the first day of January, eighteen hundred and fifty-
two, a day of Praise and Thanksgiving for the citi-
zens of this our peaceful Territory, in honor of the
God of Abraham, who has preserved his children amid
all the vicissitudes they have been called to pass ; for
his tender mercies in preserving the nation imdivided
in which we live ; for causing the Gospel of his king-
dom to spread and take root upon the earth, beyond
the power of men and demons to destroy ; and that
he has promised a day of universal joy and rejoicing
to all the inhabitants who shall remain when the earth
shall have been purified by fire, and rest in peace.
*' And I recommend to all good citizens of Utah,
that they abstain from every thing which is calculated
to mar or grieve the Spirit of their heavenly Father
on that day ; that they rise early in the morning of
the first day of the new year, and wash their bodies
with pure water ; that all men attend to their flocks
and herds with carefulness, and see that no creature
in their charge is hungry, thirsty, or cold ; while the
women are preparing the best of food for their house-
holds, and their children ready to receive it in clean-
212 MORMONISM :
liness and cheerfulness ; then let the head of each
family, with his family, bow down upon his knees be-
fore the God of Israel, and acknowledge all his sins,
and the sins of his household ; call upon the Father,
in the name of Jesus, for every blessing that he desires
for himself, his kindred, the Israel of God, the universe
of man ; j^raying with full purpose of heart and united
faith that the union of the United States may be pre-
served inviolate against all the devices of wicked men,
until truth shall reign triumphant, and the glory of
Jehovah shall fill the earth. Then, in the name of
Jesus, ask the Father to bless your food ; and when
you have filled the plates of your household, partake
with them with rejoicing and thanksgiving ; and if
you feel to make merry in your hearts, sing a song
of thanksgiving ; and lift up your hearts continually,
in peace and acknoAvledgment of the unbounded mer-
cies you are momentarily receiving
" I further request, that when the day has been
spent in doing good, in dealing your bread, your but-
ter, your beef and your pork, your turkeys, your mo-
lasses, and the choicest of all the products of the val-
leys of the mountains, at your command, to the poor;
that you end the day in the same order, and on the
same principle that you commenced it ; that you eat
your supper with singleness of heart, as unto the
Lord, after praise and thanksgiving, and songs of re-
joicing ; remembering that you cannot be filled with
ITS OEIGm, RISE J AND PEOGEESS. 213
the Holy Spirit, and be preparing for celestial glory,
while the meanest menial under your charge or con-
trol is in want of the smallest thing which God has
given you power to supply ; remembering that it is
dependent on you for its comforts, as you are depend-
ent on your God for your constant support.
" Retire to your beds early, that you may be re-
freshed, and rise early again, and so continue until
times and seasons are changed ; or finally, I say unto
you, let the same process be continued from day to
day, until you arrive unto one of the days of Kolob
[where a day is one thousand of our years], the planet
nearest to the habitation of the Eternal Father ; and
if you do not find peace and rest to your souls by that
time, in the practice of these things, and no one else
shall present himself to offer you better counsel, I will
be there, and knowing more, will tell you what you
ought to do next."
How far the expressions of loyalty to the Federal
Union contained in the proclamation are to be re-
ceived as having been sincere and honest at the time,
is a question to be judged of in the light of the sub-
sequent history of its author and of transpiring
events.
Large accessions of emigrants sent forward by the
foreign missionaries who had been selected from the
ablest men of the sect, rapidly increased the Mormon
numbers, in City and Territory. Many of these were
214: MOEMONISM '.
farmers settling upon the free lands outside of the
town. In 1854, the total number of converts in the
valley and in all parts of the world, was estimated at
half a million. At Salt Lake and in Deseret there
was claimed to be forty thousand — probably an over-
estimate, for the census showed only forty thousand
two hundred and seventy-three total population in
1860.
Young had sent out an address to be distributed
to the "saints" from all the Church and missionary
stations, an extract from which will show the method
and extent of the plan pursued :
" Come immediately, and prepare to go West,
bringing with you all kinds of choice seeds of grain,
vegetables, fruits, shrubbery, trees, and vines — every
thing that will please the eye, gladden the heart, or
cheer the soul of man, that grows upon the face of
the whole earth ; also the best stock of beast, bird,
and fowl of every kind ; also the best tools of every
description, and machinery for spinning or weaving,
and dressing cotton, wool, flax, and silk, or models
and descriptions of the same, by which they can con-
struct them, and the same in relation to all kinds of
farming utensils and husbandry, such as corn-shellers,
grain threshers and cleaners, smut-machines, mills, and
every implement and article within their knowledge
that shall tend to promote the comfort, health, happi-
ness, or prosperity of any people.
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 215
"It is very desirable that all the saints should
improve every opportunity of securing at least a copy
of every valuable treatise on education — every book,
map, chart, or diagram that may contain interesting,
useful, and attractive matter, to gain the attention of
children, and cause them to love to read ; and also
every historical, mathematical, philosophical, geo-
graphical, geological, astronomical, scientific, prac-
tical, and all other variety of useful and interesting
writings, maps, etc., to present to the general Church
recorder when they shall arrive at their destination,
from which important and interesting matter may be
gleaned to compile the most valuable works on every
science and subject, for the benefit of the risiug gen-
eration.
" Let all saints who love God more than their
own dear selves — and none else are saints — gather,
without delay, to the place appointed, bringing their
gold, their silver, their copper, their zinc, their tin,
and brass, and choice steel, and ivory, and precious
stones, their curiosities of science, of art, of nature,
and every thing in their possession or within their
reach, to build in strength and stability, to beautify,
to adorn, to embellish, to delight, and to cast a fra-
• grance over the house of the Lord ; with sweet instru-
ments of music and melody, and songs, and fragrance,
and sweet odors, and beautiful colors, whether it be
in precious jewels, or minerals, or choice ores, or in
216 MOEMOiasM :
wisdom and knowledge, or understanding, manifested
in carved work, or curious workmanship of the box,
the fir, and pine tree, or any thing that ever was, or
is, or is to be, for the exaltation, glory, honor, and
salvation of the living and the dead for time and
eternity.
" The kingdom of God consists in correct princi-
ples, and it mattereth not what a man's religious faith
is — whether he be a Presbyterian, or a Methodist,
or a Baptist, or a Latter-Day Saint, or 'Mormon,' or
a Campbellite, or a Catholic, or Episcopalian, or Mo-
hammedan, or even Pagan, or any thing else. If he
will bow the knee, and with his tongue confess that
Jesus is the Christ, and will support good and whole-
some laws for the regulation of society, we hail him
as a brother, and will stand by him as he stands by us
in these things ; for every man's faith is a matter be-
tw^een his own soul and his God alone."
It is easy to comprehend the attractiveness of such
an artful invitation to the thousands of ignorant and
superstitious people addressed in the Old World, w^ho
seek the betterment of their temporal and spiritual
condition in the "promised land" revealed to the
Latter-Day Saints in America. These and kindred
illusory appeals are turned to efficient account in the
Mormon cause by the missionaries sent abroad in that
work. In a tract published in England in 1851, by
Orson Pratt, one of those emissaries designed to es-
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PROGRESS. 217
tablish the " divine authenticity of the Book of Mor-
mon," the author proclaimed the doctrine of modern
miracles, and presented the claims of the ncAV reve-
lation in glowing terms. (Pratt has recently been
expelled from the Mormon Church at Salt Lake by
Prophet Young.) The following passage will suffice
to show the winning character of this and other Mor-
mon publications in foreign countries :
" The Latter-Day Saints know that Joseph Smith
was a true prophet, and that the Book of Mormon is a
divine revelation, because God has confirmed the same
unto them by the miraculous manifestations of his
power. There are now about six hundred branches
of the Church of Christ in the British Islands, consist-
ing of upward of thirty thousand believers, and be-
tween three and four thousand elders and priests.
Now, there is scarcely a branch of the saints among
this nation but have been blessed, more or less, with
the miraculous signs and gifts of the Holy Spirit, by
which they have been confirmed, and know, of a
surety, that this is the Church of Christ. They know
that the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the
dumb speak, that lepers are cleansed, that bones are
set, that the cholera is rebuked, and that the most
virulent diseases give way, through faith in the name
of Jesus Christ, and the power of his gospel. These
are not some isolated cases that occasionally take
place, or that are rather doubtful in their nature, or
10
218 MOEMONISM :
that have transpired a long time ago, or in some dis-
tant country ; but they are taking place at the present
period, every week furnishing scores of instances in all
parts of this land ; many of the sick out of the Church
have, through the laying on of the hands of the ser-
vants of God, been healed."
Dixon gives the following description of the man-
ner in which the immigrants are welcomed on their
arrival at the Mormon capital, being a brief report of
a " sermon " addressed to them by Young :
" Brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ,
you have been chosen from the world by God, and
sent through his grace into this valley of the moun-
tains, to help in building up his kingdom. You are
faint and weary from your march. Rest, then, for a
day, for a second day, should you need it ; then rise
up and see how you w^ill live. Don't bother your-
selves about your religious duties ; you have been
chosen for this work, and God will take care of you
in it. Be of good cheer. Look about this valley into
which you have been called. Your first duty is to
learn how to grow a cabbage, and along with this
cabbage an onion, a tomato, a sweet potato ; then
how to feed a pig, to build a house, to plant a garden,
to rear cattle, and to bake bread ; in one word, your
first duty is to live. The next duty— for those who,
being Danes, French, and Swiss, cannot speak it now
—is to learn English ; the language of God, the Ian-
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 219
guage of the Book of Mormon, the language of these
latter days. These things you must do first ; the
rest will be added to you in proper season. God
bless you ; and the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be
with you."
The Mormons have no negroes in their Church.
They regard that race as the descendants of Cain, the
first murderer, and the color of their skin as a curse
put upon them by God. Hence all " Cainites " are
excluded from their fellowship. Prophet Smith had
in a single instance admitted one at Nauvoo, but the
act was generally disapproved by the elders ; though
it was understood that the tithing exchequer was lib-
erally benefited by the case, and perhaps for that rea-
son its discussion soon ceased. The Cainite did not
accompany the emigrants to Salt Lake, nor was his
long continuance in Mormondom known to outside
people. Furthermore, Young has been th^ declared
advocate of negro slavery. In his first message to
the Utah Legislature, his views upon this question
were thus indicated :
" While servitude may and should exist, and that
too upon those who are naturally designed to occupy
the position of servant of servants, yet we should not
fall into the other extreme and make them as beasts
of the field, regarding not the humanity that is in the
colored race ; nor elevating them, as some seem dis-
posed, to an equality with those whom nature and na-
220 MORMONISM :
ture's God has indicated to be their masters, their su-
periors."
Probably the ancient Mormons of the times of
Nephi had no knowledge of the " Cainites," for the
records "hid np" by them, from the translations of
which Joseph Smith, Jr., obtained the Book of Mor-
mon, as pretended, furnish this text against slavery :
'" But Ammon said unto him. It is against the law
of our brethren, which was established by my father,
that there should be any slaves among them."
Perhaps consistency, as between tha professions
and practices of the Mormon sect on this or any other
question, should not be expected.
The Latter-Day Saints are modified millennarians.
It is a theory interwoven with their belief, that the
latter days are now passing. This is the burden of
their preaching and revelations, and it is the main-
spring of their proselyting machinery. All the
original followers of Smith at Palmyra and Man-
chester, after the " Golden Bible " invention super-
seded the money-digging malversations, were avow-
edly influenced in their conversion to the " Mormon "
gospel, more by this idea than any other receiving
their serious consideration. And at the present time,
in Utah and throughout the world, the faith of the
" saints " is understood to be peculiarly strengthened
by the revelation of Smith at Kirtland in 1S33, to
which they are pointed by the elders :
ITS ORIGIN, EISE, AKD PEOGKESS. 221
" And now I am prepared to say, by tlie autliority
of Jesus Cbrist, that not many years shall pass away
before the United States shall present such a scene of
bloodshed as has not a parallel in the history of our
nation ; pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquakes, will
sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face
of the land, to open and prepare the way for the re-
turn of the lost tribes of Israel from the north coun-
try. Therefore I declare unto you the warning which
the Lord has commanded me to declare unto this gen-
eration, remembering that the eyes of my Maker are
upon me, and that to him I am accountable for every
word I say, wishing nothing worse to my fellow-men
than their eternal salvation ; therefore, ' fear God and
give glory to him, for the hour of his Judgment is
comeJ^ Repent ye, repent ye, and embrace the ever-
lasting covenant, and flee to Zion before the overflow-
ing scourge overtake you, for there are those now liv-
ing upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in
death until they see all these things which I have
spoken fulfilled."
The believers, thinking they have seen fulfilled the
first part of the prophecy of their martyr saint, are
continually looking with undoubting faith for the
verification of the remaining portion of it. Every-
where, Young's disciples believe that Mormonism is
the true medium of salvation, and hence are rallying
to the new Jerusalem in Utah as their only refuge.
222 MOEMONISM :
The corner-stone of the temple at Salt Lake City
was laid in February, 1853. There were about two
thousand people in attendance, and the ceremonies
were in the highest style of Mormon grandeur. Two
brass bands participated in the exercises. Governor
Young made the leading address on the occasion, the
substance of which, as published, may be thus briefly
stated : He said the " saints " were about to make
their third attemj)t to build a temple to the Lord;
that they had been twice frustrated in this duty by
the powers of the devil, acting through the instru-
mentality of unrej)entant gentiles, or at least that they
had been only for a short season permitted to enjoy
the one they had built at Nauvoo ; that they were
commanded to persevere, and that God had promised
them his favor and protection when all their trans-
gressions should be forgiven. He declared that the
very ground where he stood had been revealed to him
for seven years past as the spot where the temple
should stand, and he intimated that its building
might cost a million of dollars. He asked his fol-
lowers to pay their tithes with cheerful promj^titude,
promising " God's blessing to them that do his will."
This oration was followed by a prayer by Elder
Kimball, and by music from the baud and vocalists.
The Governor and the Twelve Apostles each threw up
a few shovelfuls of earth, and a benediction ended
the ceremony. The temple is planned for an immense
ITS ORIGm, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 223
building, calculated to seat eighteen thousand people.
Its construction has not been hastened forward since
the laying of the foundation walls. Young seems
entirely content wji^h the slow progress of the work,
since it is the continual source of enriching revenues
by the operation of the tithing system of the scheming
beneficiary.
224: MORMONISM :
CHAPTER XV.
Political and Military — Recusancy of Young — He circumvents the
Enemy — Clandestine Mormonism — Missionary Success — Statis-
tics of the Saints — Utah, its Lakes and its City.
By the assumption of prerogatives not assented
to by the Federal authorities of the Territory, Gov-
ernor Young became involved in political contro-
versies threatening the general peace. Among other
abuses alleged, he was charged with misapplying the
public moneys intrusted to his hands. The local
legislative power, by the Mormon preponderance of
the popular vote, was under his dictation and control.
Twenty thousand dollars was appropriated by Con-
gress and confided to him for expenditure in the erec-
tion of public buildings, more than one-half of which
sum he was charged with putting directly into his
own pocket, while he attempted to saddle upon the
Government second-hand buildings worth less than the
other half, but estimated by him at the price of the
entire appropriation. Various other derelictions were
ITS OKIGIN, EISE, AND PKOGEESS. 225
alleged against the usurper ; questions of jurisdiction
arose; the difficulties multiplied from time to time;-
and the controversy between the Governor and his
associate Territorial officers became warlike in its
character. Colonel Steptoe arrived at the Mormon
capital with a force of three hundred men, ready to
enforce obedience to law. The contumacious Gov-
ernor was prepared to meet this force with his Nauvoo
Legion, should such culmination become necessary.
Very soon he was removed from office by the Presi-
dent, and another appointment made to supersede
him ; but the new appointee declined the office, and
Governor Young held over. In the mean time, he
had plied his "saintly" arts of diplomacy Avith the
belligerent commandant and his cooperating civil
officers. The ultimatum was, that most of these
Federal officers became friends of the Mormons —
espoused their polygamous religion — and Young was
reappointed Governor by their recommendation. Thus
war in this instance was avoided — and Territorial af-
fairs went on harmoniously.
Afterward, difficulties arose between the Mormons
and anti-Mormons (the latter chiefly miners) in West-
ern Utah, now organized as Nevada Territory, upon
a question of jurisdiction. The signs w^ere again
ominous of war for' a season ; but finally Governor
Young took counsel of his discretion, and peacefully
withdrew from the contest. The questions involved
10-
226 MOKMONISM :
in this matter were stated by Mr. Crane, delegate
elect for Nevada, in January, 1859 :
" The Mormons and anti-Mormons began the set-
tlement of Western Utah in the latter part of 1854.
The former, however, succeeded in 1855 in obtaining
a numerical majority; and the Legislature of Utah,
on being informed of this fact, organized the whole
western part of the Territory, under the name of
Carson County, and Governor Young appointed Or-
son Hyde, the President of the Quorum of Twelve
AiDOStles, its Probate Judge. Soon after the judge
arrived, adventurers from California, as well as from
the Atlantic States, settled in Carson and other val-
leys on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada, for the
purpose of mining, farming, and raising stock. As
they increased very fast, the Mormons became alarmed,
and determined to expel them.
" They therefore ordered them to leave the coun-
try. Of course the anti-Mormons refused to do so.
The Mormons then assembled their forces, and at-
tempted to expel them, vi et armis. The anti-Mor-
mons also organized, and fortified themselves, with a
view of defending their lives and property against
their assailants. For two weeks their armies camped
nearly in sight of each other, without coming to a
direct battle.
" By this time news had reached the miners in
California of this state of afiairs, and a large number
ITS OEIGIN, KISE, AND PKOGKESS. 227
had determined to cross the mountains, and aiford
protection to the anti-Mormons. On hearing this,
the Mormons became satisfied that, unless they re-
traced their steps, they would themselves be driven
from the country, instead of the anti-Mormons. They
therefore proposed a truce, and agreed that all should
enjoy a common heritage in that part of the Terri-
tory
" The only remedy for this unnatural war, nov/
raging between the Mormons and the anti-Mormons in
Utah, is to be found in the immediate separation of
these people under two distinct governmental organi-
zations. One thing is inevitable — the Mormons and
anti-Mormons will never, and can never live together
in peace, under one government. The conflicts which
took place between them in Ohio, Missouri, Illinois,
and Iowa, and which are now going on in Utah,
ought to convince any intelligent man of the justice
and truth of this declaration. Indeed, the Mormons
themselves acknowledge it ; and so long as they adhere
to their belief — a belief founded upon their own scrip-
fures, that an absolute theocracy is the only govern-
ment under which they can and should live — tliey
never will be loyal to our government and country-
men ; and hence their hostility to our institutions and
people, and their inflexible devotion to their own.
" In every State where the Mormons have lived,
it has cost the loyal j)eople of the State thousands of
228 MOEMONISM ;
dollars, as well as the loss of many lives, to compel
them to obey the laws. In every instance they have
resisted our laws, and in every State necessity de-
manded their expulsion.
" In Utah, while they were charged with the ad-
ministration of the government and execution of the
laws, they proved themselves not only traitors to our
people, but treacherous to the Government, and open-
ly rebelled against them and defied their authority,
and it cost the Federal Government millions to con-
quer them. They have still control of the Territory,
and they are inflexibly bent upon subduing the anti-
Mormons of Western Utah ; and if the latter are not
separated from them, and protected by law, it will re-
quire the expenditure of millions more to restore order
in Utah-. Congress can count the cost in this matter,
while we will have the melancholy duty of burying
our dead. The people of Nevada will never be con-
quered— never be ruled by the Mormons. Come what
will, they will resist to the bitter end. They prefer
death to dishonor, and the Government may choose
which of these shall be meted out to them.
"In addition to the above considerations, which
should, I believe, present conclusive and imposing evi-
dence, sufficiently satisfactory to induce Congress to
organize the Territory of Nevada, I may likewise
mention others. While the people of Western Utah
have, in the Mormons, open and avowed enemies,
ITS OEIGEN-, EISE, AND PEOGRESS. 229
they have likewise the savage tribes to defend them-
selves against. Some of these tribes are professed
Mormons, Avhile others are under their influence.
Many conflicts have taken place between the anti-
Mormons and some of these tribes, as well as between
the emigrants (while crossing the Plains to the North
Pacific) and the savages ; and there is no hope of
establishing amicable relations with these Indian
tribes, until they are brought under other and better
relations with the anti-Mormons of Utah. Peace
does not reign in Utah, and never v/ill, under tbe
present order of tlnngs."
As above set forth, the Mormons wqre in hostile
relations to the Government; they were, indeed, in
actual rebellion. On that account, all the Federal
authorities not in afliliation with them, had left the
Territory. Yet a temperate policy was deemed ad-
visable at "Washington. Young was again removed,
and a successor appointed, in the summer of 1857.
The new appointments, altogether, were : Governor,
A. Gumming ; Chief Justice, D. R. Eckles ; Associate
Justices, John Cradlebaugh and Charles. E. Sinclair ;
Secretary, John Harnett. These officers were sup-
ported by an army of three thousand men, under the
command of Colonel A. S. Johnston. A sufficient his-
tory of aflairs, as now presented, may be gathered from
a report of the Secretary of War, December 5, 1857:
" The Territory of Utah is peopled almost exclu-
230 MOEMONISM :
sively by the religious sect known as Mormons. They
have subsitituted for the laws of the land, a theocracy,
ha\ing for its head an individual whom they profess
to believe a prophet of God.
" This prophet demands obedience, and receives it
implicitly from his people, in virtue of what he assures
them to be authority derived from revelations re-
ceived by bim from heaven. Whenever he finds it
convenient to exercise any special command, these
opportune revelations of a higher law come to his aid.
From his decrees there is no appeal ; against his will
there is no resistance
" From tlie first hour they fixed themselves in that
remote and almost inaccessible region of our territory,
from which they are now sending defiance to the
sovereign power, their whole plan has been to pre-
pare for a successful secession from the authority of
the United States, and a permanent establishment of
their own
"This Mormon brotherhood has scarcely pre-
served the semblance of obedience to the authority
of the United States for some years past ; not at all,
indeed, except as it might confer some direct benefit
upon themselves, or contribute to circulate public
money in their community. It has, nevertheless, al-
v/ays been the policy and desire of the Federal Gov-
ernment to avoid collision with this Mormon com-
munity
ITS OKIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 231
" Their settlements lie in the great pathway which
leads from the Atlantic States to the new and flourish-
ing communities growing up upon the Pacific sea-
board. They stand a lion in the path ; not only them-
selves defying the civil and military authorities of the
government, but encouraging, if not exciting, the
nomad savages who roam over the vast, unoccupied
regions of the continent, to the pillage and massacre of
peaceful and helpless emigrant families traversing the
solitudes of the wilderness. The rapid settlement of
our Pacific possessions ; the rights, in those regions,
of emigrants, unable to afford the heavy expenses of
transit by water and the Isthmus ; the facility and
safety of military, political, and social intercommuni-
cation between our Eastern and Western population
and States — all depend upon the prompt, absolute,
and thorough removal of a hostile power besetting
this path, midway of its route, at a point where suc-
cor and provisions should always be found, rather
than obstruction, privation, and outrage
" From all the circumstances surrounding this
subject at the time, it was thought expedient, during
the past summer, to .send a body of troops to Utah,
with the civil officers recently appointed to that Ter-
ritory. . . . The instructions of the commanding
officer were deliberately considered and carefully
drawn, and he was charged not to allow any conflict
to take place between the troops and the people of the
232 MOEMONISM :
Territory, excejjt only in case he should be called upon
by the Governor for soldiers to act as a posse comitatus
in enforcing obedience to the laws.
"An active, discreet officer, was sent in advance
of the army to Utah, for the purpose of purchasing
provisions for it, and of assuring the peojDle of the
Territory of the peaceful intentions of the Govern-
ment. This officer found, upon entering the Terri-
tory, that these deluded people had already, in ad-
vance of his arrival, or of any information, except as
to the march of the column, determined to resist their
approach, and prevent, if possible, and by force, the
entrance of the army into the Valley of Salt Lake.
Supplies of every sort were refused him.
" The day after his departure from the city, on his
way back. Young issued his proclamation, substan-
tially declaring war against the United States, and at
the same time putting the Territory under martial law."
Young, it will be seen, still assumed to be Gov-
ernor of Utah, and in that capacity issued a procla-
mation of martial law. This document bears date
September 15, 1857, and a few brief extracts will
suffice to show its general spirit :
" Citizens of Utah : We are invaded by a hostile
force, w^ho are evidently assailing us to accomplish
our overthrow and destruction. For the last twenty-
five years Ave have trusted officials of the Government,
from constables and justices, to judges, governors, and
233
presidents, only to be scorned, held in derision, in-
sulted, and betrayed. Our houses have been plundered
and then burned, our fields laid waste, our principal
men butchered, ^^hile under the pledged faith of the
Government for their safety; and our families driven
from their homes to find that shelter in the barren
wilderness, and that protection among hostile savages,
which were denied them in the boasted abodes of
Christianity and civilization.
" Our opponents have availed themselves of pre-
judices existing against us, because of our religious
faith, to send out a formidable host to accomplish our
destruction. We have had no privilege or oppor-
tunity of defending ourselves from the false, foul, and
unjust aspersions against us, before the nation. . . .
"We are condemned unheard, and forced to an
issue with an armed, mercenary mob, which has been
sent against us at the instigation of anonymous letter-
writers, ashamed to father the base, slanderous false-
hoods, which they have given to the public ; of corrupt
officials, who have brought false accusations against
us, to screen themselves in their own infamy ; and of
hireling priests and howling editors, who prostitute
the truth for filthy lucre's sake
" Therefore, I, Brigham Young, Governor and Su-
perintendent of Indian Affairs for the Territory of
Utah, in the name of the people of the United States
in the Territory of Utah, forbid —
234 MORMONISM :
" First : All armed forces, of whatever description,
from coming into this Territory, under any pretence
whatever.
" Second : That all the forces in said Territory
hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's
notice, to repel any and all such invasion.
" Third: Martial law is hereby declared to exist
in this Territory, from and after the publication of
this proclamation ; and no person shall be allowed to
pass or repass, into, or through, or from this Territory,
without a permit from the j^roper officer."
This proclamation met the United States forces on
the Plains, dispatched from Fort Bridger by Daniel
H. Wells, "commanding Nauvoo Legion," accom-
panied by his announcement of his purpose to carry
out -its instructions.
The able-bodied Mormons had j^romj^tly responded
to their j)rophet's call to arms, and an army of ample
numbers was found confronting the Federal troops.
He addressed them in a Sunday-morning sermon,
breathing the vengeance of war in earnest, as per the
following specimen :
" This people are free ; they are not in bondage to
any government on God's footstool. We have trans-
gressed no law, and we have no occasion to do "so,
neither do we intend to ; but as for any enemies
coming to destroy this people, God Almighty being
my helper, they cannot come here. We have borne
235
enough of their oppression and hellish abuse, and we
will not bear any more of it, for there is no just law
requiring further forbearance on our part. And I am
not going to have troops here to protect the priests
and hellish rabble in efforts to drive us from the land
we possess; for the Lord does not want us to be
driven, and has said, 'If you will assert your rights,
and keep my commandments, you shall never again
be brought into bondage by your enemies.' . . . .
" They say that their army is legal ; and I say that
such a statement is as false as hell, and that they are
as rotten as an old pumpkin that has been frozen
seven times, and then melted in a harvest sun. Come
on with your thousands of illegally ordered troops,
and I will promise you, in the name of Israel's God,
that you shall melt away as the snow before a July
sun
"You might as well tell me that you can make
hell into a powder-house, as to tell me that you could
let an army in here, and have peace ; and I intend to
tell them, and show them this, if they do not stay
away."
In the afternoon the Mormon autocrat gave further
vent to his fury :
" Before we left Nauvoo, not less tlian two United
States Senators came to receive a pledge from us that
we would leave the United States ; and then, while
we were doing our best to leave their borders, the
236 MORMONISM :
poor, low, degraded curses sent a requisition for five
hundred men to go and fight their battles ! That was
President Polk ; and he is now weltering in hell, with
old Zachary Taylor, where the present administration
will soon be, if they do not repent !
" Liars have reported that this people have com-
mitted treason, and upon their lies the President has
ordered out troops to aid in officering this Territory ;
and if those officers are like many who have previously
been sent here — and we have reason to believe that they
are, or they would not come where they know they are
not wanted — they are poor, miserable blacklegs, bro-
ken-down political hacks, robbers, and whoremongers ;
men that are not fit for civilized society ; so they must
dragoon them upon us for officers. I feel that I won't
bear such cursed treatment, and that is enough to
say — for we are just as free as the mountain air. . . .
" I have told you that if this people will live their
religion, all will be well ; and I have told you that if
there is any man or woman who is not willing to de-
stroy any thing or every thing of their property that
would be of use to an enemy, if left, I wanted them to
go out of the Territory
" Now, the faint-hearted can go in peace ; but
should that time come, they must not Interfere. Be-
fore I will sufier what I have in times gone by, there
shall not be one building, nor one foot of lumber, nor
a stick, nor a tree, nor a particle of grass or hay that
ITS ORIGIN, EISE, AND PEOaEESS. 237
will burn, left in reach of our enemies. I am sworn,
if driven to extremity, to utterl]^ lay waste, in tlie
name of Israel's God."
The Federal troops were encamj^ed at Green
River, near Fort Bridger, one hundred and eighteen
miles from Salt Lake City; and in November, Gov-
eruor Gumming issued a proclamation to the people
of Utah, informing them of his mission, which was
to reorganize the Territorial government, bring the
treasonable leaders to judicial trial, and enforce obe-
dience to the United States Constitution and the or-
ganic law of the Territory.
The usual " ravages of war " — except those which
result from fighting — were systematically perpetrated
by the Mormon troops, such as stealing the Federal
commissary stores, destroying the military wagons,
and burning the forage and other means of sustenance
for the "invaders." The winter was a severe one,
and great suffering was experienced by the men on
both sides, but no hostile gun was fired. Thus mat-
ters continued for a while, when, in December, Gov-
ernor Gumming visited the city, on invitation of the
Mormon leader, where he was received in a friendly
manner by Governor Young. On mutual explana-
tions, the latter relinquished the papers of his office,
and gave a pledge of peace and obedience to law. A
proclamation of Presidential pardon followed in June,
accompanied by an assurance from the commissioners
238 MOEMONisM :
from Washington bearing the proclamation, in these
words : (^
" If you obey the laws, keep the peace, and respect
the just rights of others, you will be perfectly secure,
and may live in your present faith, or change it for
another at your pleasure. Every intelligent man
among you knows very well that the Government has
never, directly or indirectly, sought to molest you in
your worship, to control you in your ecclesiastical
affairs, or even to influence you in your religious
opinions."
Peace now reigned ; the new Territorial officers
were at their posts ; and the Federal troops marched
unmolested through the city to their destined en-
campment at Cedar Valley, forty miles south.
Numerous instances of robberies, incendiarisms,
and murders, have occurred from time to time upon
the Plains, in which Mormons and Indians were impli-
cated, sometimes in league. The details of these past
atrocities do not necessarily come within the province
of this volume.
Several vacancies in Territorial offices led to the
following appointments, in February, 1863 : Governor,
Stephen H. Harding, of Indiana ; Associate Justices,
Thomas S. Drake, of Michigan, and Charles B. Waite,
of Illinois. The opening for Governor Harding's ap-
pointment occurred in this wise : a Mr. Dawson had
been appointed Governor, to fill a vacancy occasioned
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PROGRESS. 239
by the resignation of Governor Gumming, but becom-
ing in some way entangled in the meshes of Mormon-
ism after a brief official service, summarily resigned.
As accused, he attempted the illustration of polyg-
amy in a style not exactly in accordance with the
mystic rites of the Church of Latter-Day Saints:
whereat the prophet, the elders, and their followers,
became intensely indignant. Apprehending personal
danger, the clandestine polygamist sought safety in
precipitate flight ; but a self-appointed committee of
the "MormoD boys" overtook him in a chase, gave
him a severe castigation, and then set him free. That
was Governor Dawson's last demonstration of Mor-
mon faith, and the finale of his gubernatorial glory.
Congress passed an act "to punish and prevent
the practice of polygamy in the Territories, and to
annul certain acts of the Legislative Assembly of
Utah." The Mormons held this act to be unconstitu-
tional, as well as a violation of the pledge that had
been given, and therefore refused to obey it as law.
On the assembling of the Territorial Legislature, Gov-
ernor Harding, in his message to that body, declared
in favor of the enforcement of the act, discussing the
question in a manner giving special umbrage to the
polygamists. Extracts from the Governor's message :
" It would be disingenuous if I were not to advert
to a question, which, although seemingly it has noth-
ing to do in the premises, yet is one of vast impor-
24:0 MOBMONISM :
tance to you as a people, and Avbicli cannot be ignored.
I mean that institution which is not only commended
hut encouraged by you, and which, to say the least
of it, is an anomaly throughout Christendom. I mean
polygamy, or if you prefer the term, plurality of
wives. In approaching this delicate subject, I desire
to do so in no unkind or offensive spirit
" I lay it down as a sound proposition, that no com-
munity can happily exist with an institution so im-
portant as that of marriage wanting in all those
qualities that make it homogeneal with institutions
and laws of neighboring civilized communities having
the same object.
" Anomalies in the moral world cannot long exist
in a state of mere abeyance ; they must, from the very
nature of things, become aggressive, or they will soon
disappear, from the force of conflicting ideas.
" This proposition is supported by the history of
our race, and is so plain that it may be set down as
an axiom. If we grant this to be true, we may sum
up the conclusion of the argument as follows : either
the laws and opinions of the communities by which
you are surrounded must become subordinate to your
customs and opinions, or, on the other hand, yours
must yield to theirs. The conflict is irrepressi-
ble
" That plurality of wives is tolerated and believed
to be right, may not appear so strange ; but that a
ITS OKIGESr, RISE, AND PEOGKESS. 241
mother and her daughter are allowed to fulfil the
duties of wives to the same husband, or that a man
could be found in all Christendom who could be in-
duced to take upon himself such a relationship, is per-
haps no less a marvel in morals than in matters of taste.
" The bare fact that such practices are tolerated
among you is sufiicient evidence that the human pas-
sions, whether excited by religious fanaticism or
otherwise, must be restrained and subjected to laws,
to which all must yield obedience. No community
can long exist, without absolute social anarchy, unless
so important an institution as that of marriage is reg-
ulated by law. It is the basis of our civilization, and
in it the whole question of the descent and distribu-
tion of real and personal estate is involved.
" Much to my astonishment, I have not been able
to find any law upon the statutes of this Territory
regulating marriage. I earnestly recommend to your
early consideration the passage of some law that will
meet the exigencies of the people
"I am aware that there is a prevaihng opinion
here that the Act of Congress is unconstitutional, and
therefore it is recommended by those in high authority
that no regard whatever should be paid to the same ;
and still more to be regretted, if I am rightly inform-
ed, in some instances it has been recommended that it
be openly disregarded and defied, merely to defy the
same. /
11
242 MOEMONISM :
" I take this occasion to warn the people of this
Territory against such dangerous and disloyal coun-
sels. Whether the act is unconstitutional or not, is
not necessary for me either to affirm or deny
" The Constitution has amply provided how and
where all such questions of doubt are to he submitted
and settled, namely, in the courts constituted for that
purpose.
" To forcibly resist the execution of that act,
would be, to say the least, a high misdemeanor ; and
if a whole community should become involved in such
resistance, would call down upon it the consequences
of insurrection and rebellion." ....
The " pent-up fires of saintly wrath " now broke
forth. The Legislature, largely Mormon in its com-
position, refused to print the message, and a large
and excited meeting of the offended people appointed
a committee to warn the Governor, and also the two
justices counselling his action, to leave the Territory.
At the meeting Young made one of his characteristic
harangues, usually called "sermons." As authori-
tatively reported, he said, among other things in the
same vein :
" You have just heard read the message of Gov-
ernor Harding, delivered to the Legislative As-
sembly of this Territory. You will readily perceive
that the bread is buttered, but there is poison under-
neath. When lie came to Utah last «[uly, the Gov-
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PROGRESS. 243
emor sought to iDgratiate himself into the esteem of
our prominent citizens, with whom he had early inter-
course, and professed great friendship and attachment
for the people of the Territory. He was then full of
their praises, and said he was ready to declare that he
would stand in the defence of polygamy, or that he
should have to deny the Bible ; and stated that he
had told the President, prior to leaving Washington,
that if he were called upon to discuss the question, he
would have to take the side of polygamy, or to re-
nounce the authority of the Scriptures.
" In the face of all these professions, what has been
the course of this man ? . . . Man, did I say —
thing, I mean — a nigger-worshipper — a black-hearted
abolitionist is what he is, and w^hat he represents ; and
that I do naturally despise. Do you acknowledge this
man Harding for your Governor ? "
Voices all through the audience responded, " N"o,
yoi(j are our Governor."
"Yes, I am your Governor; and I will let him
know that I am Governor ; and if he attempts to
interfere in my affairs, woe, woe unto him ! . . .
" In regard to the war now desolating the country,
it is but the fulfilment of the prophecies of Joseph
Smith, which he told me thirty years ago."
The committee appointed to wait on the Governor
and the two judges, and request them to resign their
offices and leave the Territory, were John Taylor,
244 MOEMONISM :
Jeter Clinton, and Orson Pratt. The following reso-
lution was also adopted :
" Resolved^ That we petition the President of the
United States to remove Governor Harding, and
Judges Waite and Drake, and to appoint good men
in their stead."
In carrying out their instructions, the committee
were met by expressions of defiance and contempt on
the part of the officers addressed. The following. is
extracted from Governor Harding's reply to the com-
mittee :
" Gentlemen, I believe I understand this matter
perfectly. I came here a messenger of peace and
good-will to your people, but I must confess that my
opinions have changed in many respects. But I came
also, sirs, to discharge my duties honestly and faith-
fully to the Government, and I intend to do so to the
last. It is in your power to do me personal violence
— to shed my blood ; but this consideration will not
deter me from my purpose. If the President can be
made to believe that I have been unfaithful to the
trust he confided to me, he will doubtless remove me;
and I then shall be glad to return to my home in the
States, and will do so, carrying with me no unjust re-
sentments toward you or any one else.
" But I will not be driven away ; I w^ill not cow-
ardly abandon my post. I may be in danger in stay-
ing ; but my purpose is fixed.
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PEOGKESS. 245
" Your allegations in this paper are false — without
the shadow of truth. You call my message insulting,
and you dare not print it, for fear your people may
read it for themselves. To say that I have wronged
you when I said that you are disloyal, is simply pre-
posterous. Your own people — your public teachers
and bishops — admit the fact.
" Let me say to you in conclusion — and as this is
said to be a land of prophets, I too will prophesy — if,
while in the discharge of my duties, one drop of my
blood be shed by your ministers 'of vengeance, that it
will be avenged, and not one stone or adobe in this
city will be left upon another. I have noAV done, and
you understand me."
The Governor's message was printed at Washing-
ton by order of Congress, and one thousand copies were
distributed in Salt Lake City. ISTo act of violence fol-
lowed this political .collision ; and while Territorial
government technically came to a stand-still-, the Mor-
mon theocracy with its obnoxious institutions went on
without serious molestation. And indeed to this day,
peace prevails in Utah, and the Congressional act pro-
hibiting polygamy remains a dead letter.
Governor Harding, after about one year's service,
was appointed Chief Justice of Colorado Territory,
being succeeded as Governor of Utah by the appoint-
ment of James D. Doty, of Wisconsin, then Super-
intendent of Indian Affairs for the Territory. Judge
24:6 MOEMONISM :
Waite resigned, and Judge Drake remained in office,
on some terms of mutual conciliation.
The present statistics of Mormonism show the
total conversions, at home and abroad, to he about
one million, including those who have backslidden.
Considered in connection with the singular origin of
the imposture, as traced in these annals, the progress
and results attained may be regarded as the wonder
of the world. This Smith-Rigdon Church, based, as
has been shown, upon Spaulding's fabulous history of
" lost tribes," and beginning with the pioneer impos-
tors in 1829, has now, in 1867, its believers nearly co-
extensive with the bounds of civilization, and in some
instances even beyond. The Mormons have their
missions in England, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy,
Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland,
Malta, Gibraltar, Hindostan, Australia, Siam, Ceylon,
China, Chili, Guinea, the We^t Indies, and the Sand-
wich Islands, ivith established churches in most of
those countries. The Book of Mormon has gone
through several English editions, and has also been
published in French, German, Italian, Danish, Welsh,
and Polynesian, with large editions of tracts in these
different languages. Among the periodicals published
by the Mormon Church, or in its advocacy, as the list
was presented a few years ago, were The Mormon^ at
New York ; the Latter-Da'y Saints* Millennial Star,
published simultaneously at Liverpool and London ;
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, A^D PEOGEESS. 247
the JReflecteyr, iii French, at Geneva ; the J^toile du
Deseret, in French, at Paris ; the ShmidinavisJc Stjern^
in Danish, at Copenhagen ; the JJdgern Sion^ in
Welsh ; the Western Sitandard^ at San Francisco ;
the Zion^s Watchman^ in Australia ; and the Deseret
JSTews, Telegraphy and other publications, at Great Salt
Lake City. Journals in English, Italian, Swedish,
Spanish, and German, have since been established.
Commissioners are exploring the Sandwich Islands
with the view of acquiring by negotiation an ample
tract of country for a future new Jerusalem, in case
the necessity shall arise for vacating the present seat
of the Mormon Zion in Utah.
The Mormon missionary system is prosecuted wdth
great perseverance, and with corresponding success.
Able and active men, mostly foreign converts, though
numbers are sent out from Utah, are constantly em-
ployed in this service. At the present time- there are
no less than ten Mormon congregations in London,
who hold their regular assemblages for public wor-
ship every Sunday. The London Heview of a late
date describes the Mormon emigrants sent from Eu-
rope to this country :
" The ignorant, untaught English and Welsh, gen-
erally too of dissenting religious opinions, if of any,
form the staple of the recruits ; and these are beguiled
to a ' land flowing with milk and honey,' aided in their
emigration, carefully Avatched as they set out, and
248 MOEMONISM :
tended when they arrive. From the day they leave
London or Liverpool, till the hour they arrive, they
are not left alone. Mr. Dickens saw one of their emi-
grant-ships, and while admiring its cleanliness, was
struck with the utter reticence and silence of all uipon
the question of religion. The truth is, the 'saints'
are told to hold themselves as saints, and to avoid
talking with the gentiles. Their superiors or elders
are always on the watch. They first entrap them,
and then hoodwink them. During the voyage out
they are well treated, and herein our own Emigration
Commissioners might learn a lesson ; hut until the
birds are caged, they really know nothing or very
little of the trap they have fallen into. Hence many
leave this country. Last year more than two thou-
sand joined the false prophet. To supply this con-
stant stream of emigrants, there is a large European
mission, and in Europe, it is said, there are four hun-
dred branches. In London and its environs we have
* meeting-rooms.' These places are generally shabby
teetotal or dancing halls during the Aveek, and on
Sunday, an elder, with two or three companions to
back him up, preaches in a low and vulgar style on
religion, expounding the Proverbs or the Gospel even,
and citino' David or Solomon. Seldom or never is
polygamy openly touched on ; it is only to the ma-
tured Mormon, certainly not the stranger, that such a
thing is broached. To conclude, such an agency is
ITS OEIGTN, EISE, AND PKOGKESS. 249
terrible in its results. We do not want a religious
persecution, but we hold, with an astute American,
that these people are contravening the law, not only
of God but of the state, of knowledge, of health, of
morals, and of nature."
And the London Court Journal tells a similar
story, and regards this spread of Mormonism in many
parts of England and Wales as " one of the saddest
signs of the times." Among other facts it states
(April, 1867), that "the son of Brigham Young is now
in London on a proselyting expedition, and has been
holding forth to large audiences in the tabernacle of
the faithful. It is indeed startling to hear that many
hundreds of women leave England every year for the
Salt Lake City, and the statement is unfortunately
true beyond all doubt."
The visions of the "promised land" in Utah, with
the beauties of its " celestial city " in the valley of
Great Salt Lake, have a winning influence as pre-
sented by the Mormon missionaries to the fanatical
and discontented minds addressed in foreign lands.
That interesting region, indeed, by the pioneer explo-
rations and subsequent improvements of the Latter-
Day Saints, has now a world-wide identity with our
country's history, and is continually rising in impor-
tance to the Government and to Christendom.
It is believed that the Mormon emigration from the
northern countries of the Old World will be larger this
11*
250 MOEMONISM :
year (1867) than ever "before. A well-informed writer
remarks : " One of the cMefest means of conversion,
of which the Mormon elders avail themselves, is the
promise which they hold out of a home in Utah. The
weary laborer and toil-worn mechanic of England can
hardly resist the prospect of a country where their in-
dustry shall be properly rewarded, Avhere land costs
nothing, where their love of pleasure may be satisfied,
and where every outward comfort and delight are
sanctified by the encouragement of religious au-
thority."
Mr. Bowles, editor of the Springfield Republican^
in his graphic delineations entitled " Across the Con-
tinent," thus concludes a description of Utah and the
Mormons as they are :
" This is Utah — these the Mormons. I do not mar-
vel that they think they are a chosen people; that
they have been blessed of God, not only in the selec-
tion of their home, which consists of the richest re-
gion, in all the elements of a State, between the
Mississippi valley and the Pacific shore, but in the
great success that has attended their labors, and de-
veloped here the most independent and self-sustaining
industry that the Western half of our continent wit-
nesses. Surely great worldly wisdom has presided
over their settlement and organization ; there have
been tact and statesmanship in the leaders ; there
have been industry, frugality, and integrity in the
ITS OKIGIN, RISE, AND PROGEESS. 251
people ; or one could not witness sucli progress,
such wealth, such varied triumphs of industry and
ingenuity and endurance, as here present them-
selves
" We came out upon the plateau, or ^ bench,' as
they call it here, that overlooks the valley of the Jor-
dan, the valley alike of Utah Lake and the Great Salt
Lake, and the valley of the intermediate Great Salt
Lake City. It is a scene of rare natural beauty. To
the right, upon the plateau, lay Camp Douglas, the
home of the soldiers and a village within itself, hold-
ing guard over the town, and within easy cannon
range of the tabernacle and tithing-house ; right be-
neath, in an angle of the plain, which stretched south
to Utah Lake and west to the Salt Lake — '• and Jordan
rolled between' — was the city, regularly and hand-
somely laid out, with many fine buildings, and filled
with thick gardens of trees and flowers, that gave it a
fairy-land aspect ; beyond and across, the plain spread
out five to ten miles in width, with scattered farm-
houses and herds of cattle ; below, it was lost in dim
distance ; above, it gave way, twenty miles ofi*, to the
line of light that marked the beginning of Salt Lake
— the whole flat as a floor and sparkling with river
and irrigating canals, and overlooked on both sides by
hills that mounted to the snow line, and out from
which flowed the fatness of water and soil that makes
this once desert valley blossom under the hand of in-
252 MORMomsM :
dustiy, with every variety of verdure, every product
of almost every clime.
" No internal city of the continent lies in such a
field of beauty, unites such rich and rare elements of
Nature's formations, holds such guaranties of great-
ness, material and social, in the good time coming of
our Pacific development. I met all along the plains
and over the mountains the feeling that Salt Lake was
to be the great central city of this "West ; I found the
map, wath Montana, Idaho, and Oregon on the north,
Dakota and Colorado on the east, Nevada and Cali-
fornia on the west, Arizona on the south, and a near
connection Avith the sea by the Colorado River in the
latter direction, suggested the same ; I recognized it
in the Sabbath-morning picture of its location and
possessions ; I am convinced of it as I see mo7*e and
more of its opportunities, its developed industries,
and its unimproved possessions
" Salt Lake City is thus irrigated, mainly from one
mountain stream ; bright, sparkling brooks, course
freely and constantly down its paved gutters, keep-
ing the shade-trees alive and growing, supplying drink
for animals and water for household purposes, and
delightfully cooling the summer air ; besides being
drawn off in right proportions for the use of each
garden. . . . Under this regular stimulus, with a
strong soil made up of the wash of the mountains,
the finest of crops are obtained ; the vegetable bottom-
ITS ORIGIN, KISE, AND PKOGEESS. 253
lands of your own Connecticut and of the Western
prairies cannot vie with the jiroducts of the best gar-
dens and farms of these Pacific valleys, under this sys-
tem of irrigation. . . . I do not believe the same
space of ground anywhere else in the country holds
so much and so fine fruit and vegetables as the city
of Salt Lake to-day.
" The soil of these valleys is especially favorable
to the small grains. Fifty and sixty bushels is a very
common crop of wheat, oats, and barley ; and over
ninety have been raised. President Young once raised
ninety-three and a half bushels of wheat on a single
acre. I should say the same soil located in the East,
and taking its chances without irrigation, would not
produce half what it does here with irrigation. La-
borious and expensive as the process must be, the
large crops and high prices obtained for them make
it pay. Over all this country, that is forced to have
an irrigated farming, there is no business that now
pay^ so well, not even mining, and nowhere else in the
whole nation is agriculture so profitable
"There is a mountain of rock salt a few miles
away; and below, in Arizona, is a similar moun-
tain w^hose salt is as pure as finest glass. President
Young showed us a brick of it to-day, that excited
our surprise and delight as much as any novelty we
have seen on our jom-ney
" The policy of the Mormon leaders has been to
254 MOEMONISM :
confiDe theii' people to agriculture ; to develop a self-
sustaining, rural population, quiet, frugal, industrious,
scattered in small villages, and so manageable by the
Churcli organization. So far, this policy has been ad-
mirably successful ; and it has created an industry
and a production here, in the centre of the Western
half of our continent, of immense importance and
value to the future growth of the region. A few of
the simpler manufactures have been introduced of
late, but these are not in conflict with the general
policy. There are three cotton-mills, confined to
cotton yarns, however, almost exclusively, and one
woollen-mill. Probably there are a hundred flouring-
mills in the Territory also. Flour, the grains, butter,
bacon, dried peaches, home-made socks and yarn,
these are the chief articles produced in excess, and
sold to emigrants and for the mining regions in the
North. Probably two hundred thousand pounds of
dried peaches were sold for Idaho and Montana last
year. Hides are j)lenty ; there is a good tannery
here ; and also a manufactory of boots and shoes.
Cotton grows abundantly in the southern settle-
ments ; and experiments with flax, the mulberry tree,
and the silk- worm, are all successful.
" As to mining, the influence of the Church has
been against it. . . . President Young argues that
the world has many times more gold and silver than
it needs for financial purposes ; that the country is
ITS ORIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGRESS. 255
poorer to-clay for all the miniiiGj of gold and silver in
the last twenty years ; and that for every dollar gained
by it, four dollars have been expended."
Salt and Utah Lakes are sketched by Mr. Ferris, late
Territorial Secretary, in his " Utah and the Mormons : "
" Great Salt Lake is a very great curiosity. It is
about one hundred and thirty miles lon^, and from
seventy to eighty broad, and is, as near as may be, a
vast collection of brine. The water seems to be sat-
urated with salt to its utmost capacity of holding it
in solution, indicating the neighborhood of great de-
posits of mineral salt. Between Great Salt Lake City
and Bear River is a spring intensely salt, which pours
out a volume of water equal to that at Spring Port,
on the east side of Cayuga Lake, which it very much
resembles. This is probably one of many others of a
similar character which pour their contents into the
lake. At particular points on the beach, where the
regular course of the winds dashes up the waves, the
salt collects in such quantities as to be conveniently
shovelled into carts for domestic use. It is also pro-
cured by evaporation, three pails of the- water pro-
ducing one of salt. A person bathing may sit in the
water, rising to his arm-pits, as in a chair ; but let him
beware of toppling over, unless he wishes to encoun-
ter the risk of drowning heels over head. The water
is perfectly limpid, and has no living thing beneath its
saline waves. It has many islands with high moun-
256 MOKMONISM :
tain-peaks, among the largest of which is Antelope
Island, situated so near the eastern shore as to be
accessible for grazing purposes, for which it is exten-
sively used.
" Utah Lake, about forty miles south of Salt Lake,
with which it is connected by its outlet, the River
Jordan, is ^ handsome sheet of fresh water, some
fifteen miles long by ten broad, and abounds with the
finest salmon-trout. In approaching it from the north,
the valley of the Jordan narrows, and in rounding a
point about seven miles from the lake, a grand spec-
tacle suddenly bursts upon the view of the traveller.
The lake presents itself in placid beauty below him,
surrounded, and seemingly completely walled in, by
lofty mountains covered with snow
" The Great Basin is rich in minerals, among which
are iron and coal, found in Iron County, some two hun-
dred and fifty miles south of Great Salt Lake City, in
such abundance as to provide an adequate supply for
the future wants of the population
" Gold has only been discovered in Carson Valley,
near the line separating Utah from California, but
there are strong indications that it abounds in other
portions of the Territory."
The great city of the Mormons in this modern
" Plain of Jordan " — the Gomorrah of the nineteenth
century — is depicted by Dixon, from personal inspec-
tion :
ITS OEIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 257
" The city, which covers, we are told, three thou-
sand acres of land, between the mountains and the
river, is laid out in blocks of ten acres each. Each
block is divided into lots of one acre and a quarter ;
this quantity of land being considered enough for an
ordinary cottage and garden.
" As yet, the temple is unfinished ; the foundations
are well laid, of massive granite ; and the work is of
a kind that bids fair to last ; but the temple block is
covered with temporary buildings and erections — the
old tabernacle, the great bowery, the new tabernacle,
and the temple foundations.
" The temple block gives form to the whole city.
From each side of it starts a street, a hundred feet in
width, going out on the level plain, and in straight
lines into space. Streets of the same width, and paral-
lel to these, run north and south, east and west ; each
planted with locust and. ailanthus trees, cooled by two
running streams of water from the hillside.
" Main Street runs along the temple front ; a street
of offices, of residences, and of trade. Originally, it
was meant for a street of the highest rank, and bore
the name of East Temple Street ; upon it stood, besides
the temple itself, the council-house, the tithing-office,
the dwellings of Young, Kimball, Wells, the three
chief officers of the Mormon Church. Banks, stores,
offices, hotels — all the conveniences of modern life —
are springing up in Main Street ; trees have in many
258 MOEMONISM :
parts been cut down, for tlie sake of loading and un-
loading goods ; the trim little gardens, full of peach-
trees and apple-trees, bowering the adobe cottages in
their midst, have given way to shop-fronts and to
hucksters' stalls.
" Right and left from Main Street, crossing it, par-
allel to it, lie a multitude of streets, each like its fel-
low ; a hard, dusty road, with tiny becks, and rows of
locust, cotton-wood, and philarea, and the building-
land laid down in blocks. In each block stands a cot-
tage, in the midst of fruit-trees. Some of these houses
are of goodly appearance as to size and style. Others
are mere cots of four or five rooms, in which the po-
lygamous families, should they ever quarrel, would
find it difficult to form a ring and fight.
" In First South Street stand the theatre and the
city hall, both fine structures, and for Western Amer-
ica remarkable in style. The city hall is used as
headquarters of police, and as a court of justice. Tbe
Mormon police are swift and silent, with their eyes in
every corner, their grip on every rogue. In the win-
ter months there are usually seven or eight hundred
miners in Salt Lake City.
" The city has two sulphur-springs, over which
Brigham Young has built wooden shanties. One bath
is free. The water is refreshing and relaxing, the heat
ninety-two degrees.
" No beggar is seen in the streets; scarcely ever a
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PEOGKESS. 259
tipsy man ; and the drunken fellow, when you see one,
is always either a miner or a soldier — of course a gen-
tile. No one seems poor. The people are quiet and
Civil, far more so than is usual in these Western parts.
" The air is wonderfully pure and bright. Rain
seldom falls in the valley, though storms occur in the
mountains almost daily ; a cloud coming up in the
western hills, rolling along the crests, and threatening
the city with a deluge ; but when breaking into wind
and showers, it seems to run along the hill-tops into
the Wasatch chain, and sail away eastward into the
snowy range."
260 MOEMONISM
CHAPTER XVI.
Modified Theology— Young's Wealth— Polygamy and Spiritual Mar-
riage— The Prophet's Harem — Mormon Abominations.
The theology of tlie " saints " is subject to change
by " revelation " at the caprice of the prophet. The
latest version is given by Mrs. Waite :
" There are many gods, and they are of both sexes.
But to us there is but one God — the Father of man-
kind, and the Creator of the earth.
" Men and women are literally the sons and
daughters of God — our spirits having been literally
begotten by God, in the heavenly world, and having
been after Avard sent to the earth, and invested with
these tabernacles.
" God is in the form of man. He has a body, com-
posed of spiritual matter. There is no diiference be-
tween matter and spirit, except in quality. Spirit is
matter refined.
"God is omnipotent, but not personally omni-
present. He is everywhere present by his Holy
Spirit. His personality is generally expressed by the
ITS OEIGIN, RISE, AND PEOGEESS. 261
phrase *He has body, parts, and passions.' He re-
sides in the centre of the universe, near the planet
Kolob. This planet revohes on its axis once in a
thousand of our years, and one revolution of the Kolob
is. a day to the Almighty.
" Jesus Christ was the Son of God, literally be-
gotten by the Father, and had the Spirit of God in
the body of a man. After his resurrection, he had a
body of flesh and bones only, typical of man's resur-
rected body. He differs in nothing from the Father,
except in age and authority — the Father having the
seniority, and consequently the right to preside.
" The Holy Spirit is a subtle fluid, like efectricity.
It is the subtlest form of matter, and pervades all
space. By its agency, all miracles, so called, are per-
formed. Miracles are simply the effects of the opera-
tion of natural laws. But they are laws of a higher
character than those with which we are acquainted.
This Holy Spirit is communicated by the laying-on of
hands by one of the properly authorized priesthood,
and the recipient is then enabled to perform wonder-
ful things, according to his gift — some having the gift
of prophecy, some of healing, some of speaking in un-
known tongues, etc.
"There are three heavens — the telestial, the ter-
restrial, and the celestial.
" The telestial and terrestrial heavens are to be oc-
cupied by the various classes of persons who have nei-
262 MORMONISM :
ther obeyed nor rejected the gospel. The telestial is
typified by the stars — the terrestrial by the mooD.
" The celestial, or highest heaven, has for its type
the sun, and is reserved for those who received the
testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name, and
were baptized by one having authority from him, and
who afterward lived a holy life.
" The earth, as purified and refined, after the
second coming of Christ, is to be the final habitation
of those entitled to the glories of the celestial king-
dom. Jerusalem is to be rebuilt, and Zion, or the
N"ew Jerusalem, is to be built in Jackson County,
Missouri,*whence the saints were expelled in 1833.
"There is a fourth class of persons, not entitled to
either of these heavens. They are those who sin
against the Holy Ghost ; that is, those who apostatize
after receiving the Holy Spirjt. These go into ever-
lasting punishment, to remain with the devil and his
angels.
* " The gospel, which people are called upon to
obey, in order to gain a place in the celestial king-
dom, is : first, they must believe in Jesus Christ
as the Son of God, and in his authorized priesthood ;
secondly, they must repent of their sins ; thirdly,
they must be baptized by immersion for the remission
of their sins ; and, fourthly, they must receive the lay-
ing-on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
" God, having become nearly lost to man, revived
rrs ORIGIN,
263
his work, by revealing himself to Joseph Smith, and
conferring upon him the keys of the everlasting priest-
liood — thus making him the mediator of a IsTew Dis-
pensation, which is immediately to precede the second
coming of Christ. All those who recognize the divine
authority of Smith, and are baptized by one having
authority, are the chosen people of God, who are to
introduce the millennium, and to reign with Christ on
earth a thousand years."
The Church organization, under the prevailing
spiritual and temporal rule, is thus epitomized :
^' First. The First Presidency. This consists of
three, chosen from those who hold the high-priesthood
and apostleship, and its office is to preside over and
direct the affairs of the whole Church. It consists of
a President and two Counsellors. The President is
also seer, revelator, translator, and prophet. He rules
in all spiritual and temporal affairs.
" Secondly. The Apostles. These are to build up,
organize, and preside over churches, administer the
ordinances, etc.
" Thirdly. The Seventies. The quorums of the
Seventies are to travel in all the world, preach the
gospel, and administer its ordinances and blessings.
There is, also, the Patriarch, wkose duty is to bless
the fatherless, to prophesy what shall befall them, etc.
''Fourthly. High-Priests and Elders. The high-
priest is to administer the ordinances, and preside
264: MOKMONISM :
over tlie stakes of the Church; that is, over the
churches established abroad. The elders are to
preach and baptize; to ordain other elders, also
priests, teachers, and deacons. All the foregoing
officers are of the Melchizedek priesthood.
" Fifthly. The Aaronic priesthood, which includes
the offices of bishop, priest, preacher, and deacon.
" The bishop presides over all the lesser offices of
the Aaronic priesthood, ministers in outward ordi-
nances, conducts the temporal business of the Church,
and sits in judgment on transgressors.
" The priest is to preach, baptize, administer the
sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and visit and exhort
the saints.
" The teacher is to watch over and strengthen the
Church.
" The deacon is to assist the teacher.
" There is also a High Council, consisting of twelve
high-priests, with a president. The office of the coun-
cil is to settle all important difficulties.
" The priesthood comes direct from heaven, and
was lost to man, until the keys of both orders of the
priesthood were given to Joseph Smith, by an angel
from heaven, in 1829. After the death of Smith, they
came into the hands oi Brigham Young."
All these officers are but mediums for the trans-
mission of the will of the president. Nor is it con-
fined to spiritual affairs. Under the form of a church
ITS ORIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGEESS. 265
organization, this system absorbs not only the re-
ligious, but all the civil and political liberty of the
individual member. The High Council forms an ap-
parent check on the power of the president; but when
it is considered that this body is composed of persons
nearest the president, and under his immediate influ-
ence and control in other relations in the same organ-
ization— as high-priests, etc. — it will be seen that the
check is only nominal, and forms no real protection to
the rights of the people.*
The orders of the priesthood — the Melchizedek and
Aaronic — are the same as adopted under Smith's ad-
ministration at Kirtland, as before explained (chap-
ter X.)
Brigham Young has reached his sixty-sixth year.
As the ruling President of the " Church of Latter-
Day Saints of Jesus Christ " — the successor of Joseph
Smith, Jr., to the celestial pretensions of prophet,
Beer, and revelator — to the mandates of whose revela-
tions all Mormondom yields willing obedience — his
notoriety and power are scarcely second to those of his
greater prototype, Mohammed. His wealth is under-
stood to be immense, and is fast accumulating from
tithes and speculations. His temporal riches consist
of the precious metals, city and rural estates, govern-
ment securities, and foreign investments. From the
European mission alone he is said to have secured for
* "Mormon Prophet."
12
266 MOEMONISM :
himself over half a million dollars in gold through
the instrumentality of his tithing process. Many of
the foreign immigrants bring large sums of money, all
subject to his levies. The poor people suffer severely
by the exaction ; but in the steadfastness of their faith,
they bear the oppression without an expressed mur-
mur as a general fact.
The manifold wives and children of the prophet
constitute his visible spiritual affluence. These bless-
ings, like the first mentioned, cannot be computed
with any proximity to accuracy, by the profane, per-
haps not even by himself. From the best data attain-
able, his actual wives in polygamy — the women who
live in his houses and in his harem — who are the
recognized mothers of his children — are twelve in
number, including his first or lawful wife. All but
one of these have borne children to him, varying
numerically from three to nine each, and aggregating
in number to about sixty now living — all of whom
are well provided for in respect to educational accom-
plishments and in other ways. Two of his elder sons
have been employed in the foreign missionary service,
and one of these, as elsewhere stated, was gaining
converts in London, at the latest accounts. The
spiritual or "sealed" wives of Young, it is said
(probably with truth), cannot be counted by any
authority; and at Salt Lake it is a very wise child
that knows its own father,
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PEOGRESS. 267
Polygamy is not universal in Mormondom. The
question of matrimonial plurality is governed by a
man's pecuniary ability to support more than one
wife, or by the choice of parties. But every member
of the priesthood is expected to obey revelation in
this particular, and all of the higher order have two
or more wives each, the number being accordiug to
the grade of office or wealth of the elder. Heber C.
Kimball and Daniel Wells, who, with Young, are the
three constituting the " First Presidency," are next to
the prophet in the scale of numerical wifery, though
it is said there is no record kept in this department
of their domestic relations. The Twelve Apostles
have fewer blessings than their superiors, being thus
stated on Mormon authority : Orson Hyde, four wives ;
Orson Pratt, four wives ; John Taylor, seven wives ;
Milford Woodruff, three wives ; George A. Smith
(cousin of the late prophet), five wives; Amasa Ly-
man, five wives; Ezra Benson, four wives; Charles
Rich, seven wives ; Lorenzo Snow, three wives ;
Erastus Snow, three wives ; Franklin Richards, four
wives ; George Q. Cannon, three wives. These state-
ments do not embrace the spiritual ensealments of the
apostles, but only the wives living in family unity.
The numbers of their children are unknown.
This ancient Jewish institution of polygamy (prac-
tised only by portions of the Turks, Asiatics, Africans,
North American savages, and Mormons), is the pro-
268 MOEMONISM :
lific source of schism and discontent among the
" saints." Many of the backslidings and apostasies
from the Church, estimated at an aggregate of twenty-
thousand, are traceable chiefly to this cause. More-
over, various combinations of dissenters have arisen
for the same and other reasons, under the names of
Strangites, Mon-isites, Gladdenites, and Josephites,
who occupy localities outside of the Salt Lake juris-
diction, under their own independent theocratic gov-
ernments, while they neverthess adhere to the primi-
tive Mormon faith. These have their separate leaders,
denying as they do the pretensions of the prophet
usurper.
Young is exceedingly revengeful against all apos-
tates and those Avho in any manner question his di-
vinity ; and this last offence, unretracted, is certain to
be punished by abandonment to the "buffetings of
Satan." In a sermon on this head, the prophet ex-
pressed himself in this manner :
" When a man comes right out like an independent
devil, and says, ' Damn Mormonism and all the Mor-
mons,' and is off with himself, I say he is a gentleman by
the side of a nasty, sneaking apostate, who is opposed
to nothing but Christianity. I say to the former, * Go
in peace, sir, and prosper if you can.' But we have a
set of spirits here worse than such a character" (al-
luding to doubters).
The revelation of Smith at Nauvoo in 1844, as
ITS OKIGIN, EISE, AND PEOGRESS. 269
given elsewhere (chap, xii.), but first published at
Salt Lake in 1852, forms the groundwork of the in-
stitution of polygamy as sustained by the Church
under Young's administration. Prior to its appear-
ance in the Deseret JVews, it was announced to the
Church by Apostle Orson Pratt, and thus referred
to by Prophet Young :
"You heard Brother Pratt state, this morning,
that a revelation would be read this afternoon which
was given previous to Joseph's death. It contains a
doctrine which a small portion of the world is opposed
to; but I can deliver a revelation upon it. Though
that doctrine has not been preached by the elders,
this people have believed in it for years."
Young's harem is a long, three-story frame building,
including a stone basement. It has a spacious hall ex-
tending the entire length through the centre of each
story, with rooms on either side for the occupants in
their various employments. Its cost was about thirty
thousand dollars, in addition to the free labor bestowed
by command of the owner, " in the name of the Lord,
and by the authority of the holy priesthood." Be-
side the private parlors and bedrooms for the wives
and "other women," with the children, comprising
the polygamous household, it has a spacious dining-
room, a school-room, two receiving-parlors, a kitchen,
weaving-room, laundry, coachman's room, etc. It has
also a private office for the prophet, connected with
270 MOEMONISM :
which is his " sanctum sanctorum^'' or celestial bed-
room, which is to be entered by no one without his
special permission. Mrs. Waite, in her history of the
prophet, gave the names and j^ersonal descriptions of
twenty-four women who lived in the harem at the
time of her recent residence in Salt Lake City, not
including the first and lawful wife, with her children,
who occupy a house by themselves. Most of the in-
mates have some sort of industrial pursuit — for " in-
dustry " is Young's motto — the various employments
being cooking, Avashing, needlework, French and
music teaching, poetry-writing, taking care of the
children, receiving company, and attending to the
diversified commands of the host of the harem.
There is also an endowment-house connected with
the tabernacle, in which washings, anointings, spirit-
ual-wife sealings, and other mystic ceremonies, are
performed by those in authority.
The marriage law is thus explained : A man who
has a wife already, must first seek the prophet's advice
before making proposals for another, and through him
obtain a revelation in favor of his intention ; next he
must obtain the consent of the parents, and then con-
sult the lady herself The president, in his discretion,
may overrule any objection raised by the first wife,
and cither divorce her or " damn " her for persistence
in her opposition. All things being ready for the
solemnity, the parties — i. e., the bridegroom and
ITS OEIGm, EISE, AND PROGRESS. . 271
bride, with the legal wife — are arranged before the
president of the Church :
"The president then puts this question to the
wife : ' Are you willing to give this woman to your
husband, to be his lawful and wedded wife, for time
and all eternity ? If you are, you will manifest it by
placing her right hand within the right hand of your
husband.' The right hands of the bridegroom and
the bride being thus joined, the wife takes her hus-
band by the left arm, as if in-the attitude of walking.
The president then proceeds to ask the following ques-
tions of the man : ' Do you, brother (calling him by
name), take sister (calling the bride by name) by the
right hand, to receive her unto yourself, to be your
lawful and wedded wife, and you to be her lawful and
wedded husband, for time and for all eternity, with a
covenant and promise on your part that you will fulfil
all the laws, rites, and ordinances pertaming to this
holy matrimony, in the new and everlasting covenant
— doing this in the presence of God, angels, and these
witnesses, of your own free will and choice ? ' The
bridegroom answers, ' Yes.' The president then puts
the question to the bride : ' Do you, sister (calling her
by name), take brother (calling him by name) by the
right hand, and give yourself to him to be his lawful
and wedded wife, for time and for all eternity, with a
covenant and promise, on your part, that you will ful-
fil all the laws, rites, and ordinances pertaining to
272 . MOEMOITISM :
this holy matrimony, in the new and everlasting cove-
nant— doing this in the presence of God, angels, and
these witnesses, of your own free-will and choice ? '
The bride answers, * Yes.' The president then says :
* In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the
authority of the holy priesthood, I jDronounce you
legally and lawfully husband and wife, for time and
all eternity ; and I seal upon you the blessings of the
holy resurrection, with power to come forth in the
morning of the first resurrection, clothed with glory,
immortality, and eternal lives ; and I seal upon you
the blessings of thrones, and dominions, and princi-
palities, and powers, and exaltations ; together with
the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; and say
unto you, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the
earth, that you may have joy and rejoicing in your
posterity, in the day of the Lord Jesus. All these
blessings, together with all other blessings pertaining
to the new and everlasting covenant, I seal upon your
heads, and enjoin your faithfulness unto the end, by
the authority of the holy priesthood, in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen.' "
This is the ordinary marriage ceremony, and aj)-
plies, Tv^ith slight variations to suit the facts, equally
in cases of polygamy or monogamy. There is a
higher degree in the temple mysteries, into which
the favored ones are initiated, called the " Order of
ITS OEIGIN", RISE, Ai^D PBOGEESS. 273
the Cloistered Saints," thus explained by seceding
Mormons :
"When an apostle, high-priest, elder, or scribe,
conceives an affection for a female, and has ascer-
tained her views on the subject, he communicates
confidentially to the prophet his love-affair, and re-
quests him to inquire of the Lord whether or not it
would be right and proper for him to take unto him-
self this woman for his spiritual wife. It is no ob-
stacle whatever to this spiritual marriage, if one or
both of the parties should happen to have a husband
or wife already, according to the gentile laws of the
land.
"The prophet puts the singular question to the
Lord, and if he receive an answer in the affirmative,
which is always the case when the parties are in favor
with the president, the parties assemble in the lodge-
room, accompanied by a duly-authorized adminis-
trator, and place themselves kneeling before the altar.
The administrator commences the ceremony by say-
ing: 'You separately and jointly, in the name of
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, do solemnly covenant
and agree, that you will not disclose any matter re-
lating to the sacred act now in progress of consum-
mation, whereby any gentile shall come to the knowl-
edge of the secret purposes of this order, or whereby
the saints may suffer persecution, your lives being the
forfeit.'
12*
274: MOEMONISM I
" Then comes the ceremony of marriage, after which
the parties leave the cloister, with, generally, a firm
belief, at least on the part of the female, in the sa-
credness and validity of the ceremonial, and con-
sider themselves as united in spiritual marriage, the
duties and ijrivileges of which are in no particular
different from those of any other marriage cove-
nant."
Extended particulars of this ceremony have been
disclosed, which may and may not be literally true,
for none but initiates are supposed to be qualified
fully to unveil the secrets of the cloister ; but it is
believed the foregoing will suffice for the reader.
This spiritual wifeism is held to be a very solemn
affair by the Mormon dignitaries. The bride-saint
may have another husband, and if he happen to be a
gentile, it is deemed quite essential that the "seal-
ing "be performed in this sworn manner. The women
thus entrapped are generally young and ignorant, and
made to believe that their salvation depends on em-
bracing this Mormon doctrine.
President Young usually officiates on these occa-
sions, though Kimball, the second in the presidency,
and also such of the bishops as may from time to time
be commissioned by the ^n'ophet, are permitted to per-
form these marriage services. Divorces are of fre-
quent occurrence, granted only by Young ; and this
is supposed to be a good source of revenue, the lowest
ITS OEIGIN, RISE, AND PEOGEESS. 275
fee being ten dollars. And no man is allowed to leave
his wife or wives without a divorce.
" How do the Mormon women like and bear
polygamy ? " Mr. Bowles, upon knowledge derived
from personal observation and interviews with the
people concerned, answers this question :
"The universal testimony of all but theii* hus-
bands is, that it is a grievous sorrow and burden ;
only cheerfully submitted to and embraced under a re-
ligious fanaticism and self-abnegation rare to behold,
and possible only to women. They are taught to
believe, and many of them really do believe, that
through and by it they secure a higher and more
glorious reward in the fliture world. * Lord Jesus
has laid a heavy trial upon me,' said one poor woman,
' but I mean to bear it for His sake, and for the glory
He will grant me in His kingdom.' This is the com-
mon wail, the common solace. Such are the teach-
ings of the Church ; and I have no doubt both hus-
bands and wives alike often honestly accept this view
of the odious practice, and seek and submit to polyg-
amy as really God's holy service, calculated to make
saints of themselves and all associated with them in
the future world.
*' In some cases they live harmoniously and lov-
ingly together; oftener, it would seem, they have
separate parts of the same house, or even separate
houses. The first wife is generally the recognized
276 MOEMONISM :
one of society, and frequently assumes contempt for
the others, regarding them as concubines, and not
wives. But it is a dreadful state of society to any
one of fine feelings and true instincts ; it robs married
life of all its sweet sentiment and companionship; and
while it degrades woman, it brutalizes man, teaching
him to despise and domineer over his wives, over all
women. It breeds jealousy, distrust, and tempts to
infidelity ; but the police system of the Church and
the community is so strict and constant, that it is
claimed and believed the latter vice is very rare.
The effect upon the children cannot help being de-
basing, however well they may be guarded and
educated." ,
The tithing system is the great support of the
Church and of its rulers. It was the main source of
the wealth that had been accumulated by Smith at
the period of his death ; his successor has doubtless
largely exceeded him in this particular. The original
tithing revelation by Smith has been modified and
strengthened by Young. Every adult immigrant or
new-comer joining the Church, is expected to pay
one-tenth of his or her entire possessions, and careful
inventories of theii* whole property of every kind are
made for this purpose, by a bishop and clerk from the
tithing-ofiice. This levy is paid in cash when possi-
ble. The penalty for non-payment is exclusion from
the Church and from all spiritual blessings.
ITS ORIGIN, RISE, AND PROGRESS. 277
An immigrant fund is founded for the aid of
" saints " coming to the new Jerusalem from foreign
countries, which is made up by the tithing system.
A fixed tariff of rates is observed in the tithe levies
upon all new converts, and also upon members of the
Church in Utah desirous to be joined by their friends
abroad. This fund is under the exclusive control of
the great autocrat of Salt Lake ; and it is supposed
to be another fruitful source of his personal revenue.
Terrible hardships, not previously dreamed of by im-
migrants, are often endured by them in their journey
across the plains — so that they are apt to be quite
content with their new Mormon home when they
reach it ; and it is then too late to change their des-
tiny, if they wish to do so.
The Mormons have an organized militia, of which
Young assumes the command, as " Governor of the
State of Deseret." The Nauvoo Legion, an inde-
pendent battalion first raised by Smith in Illinois, is
attached to the same general command. Though, as
has been seen, these forces have on several occasions
been called to meet detachments of the army of the
United States, no actual collision has at any time oc-
curred. Young fights valiantly in his " sermons," but
is careful to avoid the disagreeable odor of constitu-
tional gunpowder. General Conner is in command of
the Federal forces in Utah Territory, with his head-
quarters at Camp Douglas.
278 MOEMONISM :
A secret organization of desperadoes called Dan-
ites is among the institutions of Salt Lake. They are
a sort of standing picket-guard, or vigilance commit-
tee ; their province is to keep an espionage upon the
movements of the Federal Territorial officers ; and in
any case requiring desperate action, the biddings of
the j^rophet as communicated to their leader, are in-
stantly obeyed. They are also "avenging angels,"
held in readiness to retaliate any offences against the
Church or its president by apostates or others. Secret
assassinations have been charged against them, and
in fact no other explanation has ever been given
for many instances of horrid murder of apostates
and gentiles perpetrated in the vicinity of Salt
Lake.
As the conclusion of this historic review, the
" revelation " is believingly proclaimed, that the ac-
cumulating elements of self-dissolution inherent in
the system of the Mormon brotherhood are certain
to work out the ultimate disenthralment of the fanat-
ic masses from the absolutism now controlling their
minds and action, with the final and ignominious
downfall of the imposture theocracy. And is it an
irrational "prophecy," that such termination of its
abominations and criminalities will not much longer be
procrastinated, by any means short of another " mar-
tyrdom " or the cementmg influences of some similar
intervention for the preservation of the guilty sect
ITS OEIGIN, KISE, AND PEOGEESS. 279
profaning the name of religion ? that the point of time
will soon be reached, when the Great Jehovah shall
pronounce the irrevocable fiat to the Mormon impos-
tors, " Thus far shalt thou come, but no farther — and
here shall thy proud waves be stayed " ?
APPEE^DIX.
LETTER OF HON. STEPHEN S. HAEDING, LATE GOV-
ERNOR OF UTAH TERRITORY.
Milan, Indiana, Junel, 1867.
PoMEROY Tucker, Esq. :
My Dear Sir, — Your letter of 23d was received on my
coming home from court last night. I entirely approve
your plan of Mormon history, beginning as you do with its
origin in the illusory tricks of Joe Smith, which he had
practised upon his superstitious followers for years anterior
to his Golden Bible "vision," and before he had dreamed of
becoming a "prophet." I knew Smith, and also Martin
Harris and Oliver Cowdery, with some of their fanatical
associates at and around Palmyra, and heard much of their
early delusions, and can appreciate the importance to the
civilized world of your forthcoming narrative. It has lon^
been needed to complete the history of Latter-Day Saintism,
and it has been a matter of wonder to me that such a dis-
closure of the great pretension, showing the nothingness of
its groundwork, was not written up years ago. With your
facilities for performing this service — ^your personal knowl-
APPEKDIX. 281
edge of the whole imposture and its authors— you cannot
fail in iDroducing a work of general interest and popular
favor. I will proceed at once to answer your inquiries so
far as I can.
PARLEY p. PRATT.
This important character in the origin of the Mormon
Church was assassinated in Arkansas, in 1856 or '57, by the
enraged husband of a woman who had been converted by
the missionary labors of the victim, while they were at-
tempting flight to Salt Lake. I believe the assassin was
acquitted on some preliminary investigation, and his " con-
verted" wife was permitted to pursue her journey to Salt
Lake, where she is now living with the " saints." She left
several children, as well as her husband, at her forsaken
home. Orson Pratt, a brother of the deceased, is among
the leading men of the Mormon Church, and is accepted as
second in scholarship to none in the brotherhood.
THE TEMPLE PROJECT.
I cannot tell you the exact dimensions of the proposed
temple. It is immense in its plan, on paper, but will prob-
ably never be built. The foundation is laid, and that is
about all that has been done upon the structure, though the
tithing for this " great work of the Lord " is not neglected.
The basement or foundation-walls are eighteen feet high
and twelve feet thick, composed of dressed stone in heavy
blocks. Should the temple ever be completed according to
the original design, it would be the most massive church
282 APPENDIX.
edifice on this continent, perhaps not inferior to St. Peter's
of Rome.
PLACES OF MORMON WORSHIP.
The two principal places of worship are within the Tem-
ple Block, consisting of the Tabernacle, a large structure
used in the inclement seasons, and the Bowery, which is a
canopy made of the boughs of trees, ample for the seating
of five or six thousand people. The semi-annual conferences,
in the spring and fall, are held in the Bowery. I have often
seen every inch of the room in this vast amphitheatre packed
with human beings, with eager eyes turned to the sacred
platform, where "Brother Brigham" and the other high
functionaries of the Mormon hierarchy utter their fulmina-
tions against the unrepentant gentile world. With all this,
there is really excellent music — a full choir of well-trained
singers of both sexes — accomj^anied by a first-class band of
wind and string instruments. The scene is sometimes inde-
scribably grand in a theatrical sense. Young evidently
knows and feels the strength of his power over his vast
body of worshippers.
POPULATION OF THE CITY AND TERRITORY.
The population of Utah at this time must be over one
hundred thousand — the number of Mormons alone cannot
fall far short of that figure. Great Salt Lake City now con-
tains nearly or quite twenty thousand souls. The gentiles
in the Territory probably number two thousand. When I
first arrived in Utah, in 1863, there was not more than one
gentile to one thousand MoiTQons. I am unable to answer
APPENDIX. 283
your question how many Mormons there are "in all cre-
ation," but I have heard it announced in a seemingly boast-
ful spirit, on the stands at the Tabernacle and the Bowery,
that there were five hundred thousand " saints " in Europe,
and that the numbers were continually increasing by the in-
strumentality of the missionary labors. Probably a million
is a reasonable estimate for the whole number of converts
from the beginning, including those who have apostatized.
THE CHURCH AND POLYGAMY.
The Church of Latter-Day Saints is believed to be the
most powerful organization, religious or political, that has
been founded in modem history. Its absolutism is com-
plete and crushing. The people are peculiarly industrious
and temperate in their habits— owing, probably, in a large
degree to the fact that in the first settlement of the country
they were required to work or perish, thus early contracting
tbe habits that distinguish their community. Polygamy is
not universal in Mormon households, the question being left
to individual choice, rather than to any compulsory Church
dogma. It .is chiefly among the official and aspiring mem-
bers of the Church and the "well-to-do" "saints," that the
plural-wife system is adopted. As a general thing the Mor-
mon women condemn it, including those connected with its
practice, as well as the more positive resistants of "the
faith."
THE prophet's TITHING RESOURCES.
Young possesses extraordinary executive abilities. In
the name of the temple and other public enterprises, his
284: APPENDIX.
titliing exactions are enforced with unvarying strictness,
and with little if any visible murmuring among those who
bear the burden. Every thing is subject to the system, from
the tenth egg to the tenth horse, and from the tenth cent to
the tenth dollar — the poor girl who works out by the week,
and the rich farmer or money-lender, being indiscriminately
subject to this tithe levy "in the Lord's name." All these
resources go into Brother Brigham's hands, and he is never
required to make a report or exhibit a balance-sheet to his
disciples. He has thus received millions upon millions of
money, besides untold amounts in i^roperty values of every
descrijDtion. Is it any wonder that his private coffers are
ample for the affluent maintenance of his sixty wives and
one hundred and fifty children, more or less ?
PIONEER MORMONS SACRED RELIC.
When I was in Palmyra in 1829, I went with Joe Smith,
at his special request, to his father's house, in company with
Martin Harris and Oliver Cowdery, for the purpose of hear-
ing read his wonderful " translations " from the sacred plates.
This was before these revelations had been given to the
world in the printed " Book of Mormon." Subsequently,
after the printing contract had been concluded between
Grandin and Harris, I was in the printing-office with your-
self, and also the three pioneer Mormons named, when the
proof-sheet of the first form of the book, including the title-
page, was revised by you. A corrected impression of it was
passed around to the young i)roi3het and his attendant dis-
ciples, all of whom appeared to be delighted with the dawn-
APPENDIX. 285
ing of tlie new gospel dispensation, and it was accepted by
Smith as "according to revelation." By consent of the
brotherhood, you finally gave this " revise sheet " to me as
a curiosity, and I retained it until some two years after
Smith's murder, and before the Mormons had gone to Utah,
when it was bestowed by me upon a grateful wandering
"saint" of the name of Eobert Campbell, who had been
cared for over night at my present residence. This " sacred
relic " is now among the archives in the " Historian's Office "
at Salt Lake City.
COMMAND TO PREACH THE MORMON GOSPEL.
You ask me to write my recollections of the " call " to
preach the Mormon gospel, as " revealed " to Calvin Stod-
dard in 1829. I can do so with as distinct a remembrance
as if that unjustifiable act of a " wild and fast young man "
had occurred yesterday. I can never forget it, for I was al-
most as badly scared, before I had got done with the mis-
chief, as poor Calvin was ; and I have never to this day been
quite satisfied with my conduct. I was especially led to
play the trick by the strange credulity which Martin Harris
had manifested the same day, as we walked together to hear
Lorenzo Dow preach in Palmyra. Added to this induce-
ment, Calvin had previously told me of the wonderful
things he had seen in the sky, and of his serious impres-
sions about his duty to preach the new gospel. My j)urpose
was to try an experiment in delusion, upon. Joe Smith's prin-
ciple, merely for my own amusement and instruction. The
main story is the same as you have related it in the extract
286 APPENDIX.
of your manuscript sent me, and it need not be repeated in
this letter I remained at the door only for a
moment, long enough to hear the startled Mormon saint in
his fright cry out to his Maker in supplication for mercy and
promise of obedience ; when, taking to my heels, no young
scapegrace ever did taller running^ in proportion to loco-
motive capacity, than I did that dark night. I was stopping
for a few days as a guest with my relative, Mr. Hill, in the
vicinity, and gained access to my room about eleven o'clock
without discovery Pale and haggard in appear-
ance, from lack of sleep or i^erhaps from re^Dentance for his
former disobedience, Stoddard was early the next morning
in the fulfilment of the " command " among his neighbors,
relating in the most earnest manner the marvellous partic-
ulars of the miracle of which he was the "chosen" subject.
He repeated the words of the " celestial messenger " as ad-
dressed to him, with entire accuracy, and said they were
communicated amid the roaring thunders of heaven and the
musical sounds of angels' wings. For aught I have ever
heard since, he held out to the end faithful to his ministerial
calling in the Mormon cause. Sincerely regretting my mis-
chievous experiment — for I really began to feel conscientious
qualms about it — I sought to relieve my fanatic friend of
his delusion, by the suggestion that probably some unprin-
cipled person had imposed upon him, advising him to give
no heed to the trick ; but I found that no such theory could
be made available for my well-intended purpose, for he had
"spiritual" evidences on the subject that were above any
human testimony ! . . . . Poor Stoddard has gone to
his final account. Peace to his ashes ! If that thoughtless
APPENDIX. 28T
act of my boyhood, thirty-eight years ago, caused him one
hour's unhappiness, or contributed in any degree to a single
conversion to Mormonism, may He who " tempers the wind
to the shorn lamb " look upon my offence not in anger, but
in mercy, for I know that I did not intend to do a pre-
meditated wrong to any one.
Truly yours,
STEPHEN S. HARDD^TG.
STATEMENT OF THE LATE EEV. JESSE TOWNSEND.
For the following sketch of the origin of the Mormon
imposture, and of its leader " Joe Smith " and his early asso-
ciates and dupes, the author of this work is indebted to the
kindness of Mrs. Peerine, daughter of the writer, the late
Rev. Jesse Townsend. It is the original manuscript of a
letter written at its date, by Mi-. Townsend, in answer to
inquiries for information addressed to him by Mr. Phineas
Stiles, of Wendell, Franklin County, Massachusetts, in No-
vember, 1833, who set forth that two men from Ohio were
actively engaged in his town and vicinity, and with an
alarming degree of success, in efforts to disseminate among
the people and in the churches, " a new revelation and a
new religion, which they call the Mormon religion," and that
they "pretend to be inspired and empowered by God to
teach " the same. This statement of Mr. Townsend, made
soon after the Mormon advent, now first published, may be
regarded as a further important authentication of the fore-
going pioneer history of the sect of people now become
so prosperous and powerful in Utah Territory.
APPENDIX.
Palmyra, Wayne County, N. Y., December 24, 1833.
Mr. Phdteas Stiles :
Dear Sir, — Your letter of 29th ultimo, requesting infor-
mation concerning the class of jDeople called Mormonites,
has been received, and the following is a sketch of their
history :
This new sect was commenced by Joseph Smith, Jr., in
the vicinity of this village some four years ago, and the
statement I give you is the truth^ incredible as it may
appear to you, and shows the folly and weakness of the
people who have listened to and heeded the impositions
and falsehoods propagated by Smith and his associates in
iniquity.
I begin with the leader, " Joe," as he is and always has
been called here. For the ten years I have known any thing
of him, he has been a person of questionable character, of
intemperate habits, and latterly a noted money-digger. He
lived in a sequestered neighborhood, where, with his dupes,
his impostures and low cunning gave him a reputation for
being "smart." He has had a stone, into which, when
placed in a hat, he pretended to look and see chests of
money buried in the earth. He was also a fortune-teller^
and he claimed to know where stolen goods went — probably
too well.
Smith flattered a few of his jjeculiar fraternity to engage
with him in digging for money. After a while, many of
these got out of patience with his false pretensions and re-
peated failures; and, finally, to avoid the sneers of those
who had been deceived by him, he pretended that he had
found, in digging alone, a wonderful curiosity, which he
APPENDIX. 289
kept closely secreted. After telling different stories about
it, and applying to it different names, lie at length called it
the golden -plates of the Booh of Mormon. As lie was ques-
tioned on the subject from tiine to time, bis story assumed a
more uniform statement, the term finally given to the mar-
vellous treasure being the " Golden Bible."
In the mean time, Joe visited a visionary fanatic by the
name of Martin Harris, and told him he had received some
golden plates of ancient records from the Lord, with a
" revelation " to call on him for fifty dollars to enable him
to go to Pennsylvania and translate the contents of the
plates ; at the same time telling Harris that the Lord had
revealed to him that they (Smith and Harris) were the only
honest men in the world. This at once took with the dupe,
who had specially prided himself on his honesty ; and the
wily deceiver understood this fact ; he knew this was the as-
sailable point in his victim's visionary mind. The delicious
bait was greedily swallowed ; and the fifty dollars was soon
put into the hands of Smith, who cleared for Pennsylvania
or elsewhere.
At that time Martin Harris was worth five or six thou-
sand dollars, while the Smiths were not worth a cent. The
latter used Martin's money freely ; and some other men, hav-
ing a great dislike to labor, joined Joe m his deceptions,
among whom was a sort of schoolmaster named Cowdery,
who assisted him in vmting or transcribing the " Book of
Mormon," as a pretended translation of the golden plates
which he affirmed he had been directed by the Spirit of the
Lord to dig from the earth. This was all done in the most
secret manner. At the same time it was assumed to the un-
13
390 APPENDIX.
initiated that it would be " immediate death " for any except
the translators to see the plates. Poor Martin's faith was
apparently strengthened by this pretension, but afterward
the "command" was modified,«and he claimed to have seen
the plates with " spiritual eyes." *
This Harris, who is or has been second in authority among
the Mormonites, was an industrious fanner, living near this
village, who had been unfortunate in the choice of a wife, or
she had been in that of a husband. Like his leader, he gives
to their preachers the power to j)reach and put their prose-
lytes under water by authority of the new "revelation." He
has whipped his wife and beaten her so cruelly and frequently,
that she was obliged to seek refuge in separation
He is considered here, to this day, a brute in his domestic
relations, a fool and dupe to Smith in religion, and an un-
learned, conceited hypocrite, generally. He paid for print-
ing the Book of Mormon, which exhausted all his money
and most of his projDerty. Since he went to Ohio he has
attempted to get another wife, though it is believed he was
frustrated in this design by the discovery of his having a
living wife here.
All the Mormonites have left this part of our State, and
so loaljDable is their imposture that nothing is here said or
thought of the subject, except when inquiries from abroad
are occasionally made concerning them. I know of no one
now living in this section of country that ever gave them
credence. Joe Smith dare not come to Palmyra, from fear
* Mr. Townsend, at the date of his letter, had not lea?:ned of
the connection of Rigdon and the Spaulding manuscript with this
matter.
APPENDIX, 291
of his creditors ; for he ran away to avoid their just de-
mands.
You, sir, may think we treat this matter lightly ; but I
give you a correct statement. You have asked for the facts,
and I give them. "We consider the founders and propagators
of the Mormon " religion " simply as base impostors, whose
sectarian assertions are false and absurd.
Respectfully yours, etc.,
JESSE TOWNSEND.
"WAE BOMANCE OF MORMONISM.
AccoRDma to the Mormon fable — alias the Spaulding
romance or Joe Smith revelation — the people inhabiting our
American continent in its wilderness state were very warlike
tribes, especially the Nephites and Lamanites (see chapter
viii.) A melancholy history of their military and si^iritual
dealings is presented in the following brief collection from
different books of the " Book of Mormon," which will repay
perusal by the admirer of the marvellous, whether he accept
the narrative in the light of fiction or fact :
EXTRACTS FROM THE BOOK OF MORMON.
"And now it came to pass that I, Enos, went about
among the people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come,
and testifying of the things which I had heard and seen.
And I bare record that the people of Nephi did seek dili-
gently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God.
But our labors were vain ; their hatred was fixed, and they
292 APPENDIX.
were led by their evil nature, that they became wild and
ferocious, and a bloodthirsty people ; full of idolatry and
filthiness ; feeding upon beasts of prey, dwelling in tents,
and wandering about in the wilderness, with a short skin
girded about their loins, and their heads shaven ; and their
skill was in the bow, and the cimeter, and the axe. And
many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat; and
they were continually seeking to destroy us.
" And it came to pass that the people of ISTephi did till
the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and
flocks of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle, of every
kind, and goats, and wild goats, and also much horses.
And there were exceeding many prophets among us. And
the people were a stiff-necked people, hard to understand.
And I saw wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites in
the course of my days. And it came to pass that I began
to be old, and an hundi'ed and seventy-and-nine years had
passed away from the time that our father Lehi left Jeru-
salem, And as I saw that I must soon go down to my
grave, having been wrought upon by the power of God, that
I must preach and jDrophesy unto this j)eople, and declare
the word according to the truth which is in Christ." — Book
of Ems.
" And now, behold, two hundred years had j^assed away,
and the people of Kephi had waxed strong in the land.
They observed to keep the law of Moses and the Sabbath-
day holy unto the Lord. And they profaned not ; neither
did they blaspheme. And the laws of the land were exceed-
ing strict. And they were scattered upon much of the face
of the land, and the Lamanites also. And they were ex-
APPENDIX. 293
ceeding more uiimerons than were they of the Nephites;
and they loved murder, and would drink the blood of
beasts.
" And it came to pass that they came many times against
us, the Nephites, to battle. But our kings and our leaders
were mighty men in the faith of the Lord ; and they taught
the people the ways of the Lord ; wherefore, we withstood
the Lamanites, and swept them away out of om* lands, and
began to fortify our cities, or whatsoever place of our inher-
itance. And we multiplied exceedingly and spread upon
the face of the land, and became exceeding rich in gold,
and in silver, and in precious things, and in fine workman-
ship of wood, in buildings, and in machinery, and also in
iron, and coj^per, and brass, and steel, making all manner
of tools of every kind to till the ground, and weapons of
war ; yea, the sharp-pointed arrow, and the quiver, and the
dart, and the javelin, and all i3reparations for war ; and thus
being prepared to meet the Lamanites, they did not prosper
against us," — Book of Jarom.
" I, Zeniff, having been taught in all the language of the
Nephites, and having had a knowledge of the land of N'ei3hi,
or of the land of our fathers' first inheritance, and I having
been sent as a spy among the Lamanites, that I might spy
out their forces, that our army might come upon them and
destroy them ; but when I saw that which was good among
them, I was desirous that they should not be destroyed ;
therefore I contended with my brethren in the wilderness :
for I would that our ruler should make a treaty with them.
But he, being an austere and a bloodthirsty man, commanded
that I should be slain ; but I was rescued by the shedding
294 APPENDIX,
of much blood, for father fought against father, and brother
against brother, until the greatest number of our army was
destroyed in the wilderness ; and we returned, those of us
that were spared, to the land of Zarahemla, to relate that
tale to their wives and their children. And yet, I being
over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers, collected as
many as were desirous to go up to possess the land, and
started again on our journey into the wilderness to go up to
the land ; but we were smitten with famine and sore afflic-
tions : for we were slow to remember the Lord our God. . . .
" And it came to pass that I did arm them' with bows,
and with arrows, with swords, and with cimetefs, and with
clubs, and with slings, and with all manner of weapons
which we could invent, and I and my people did go forth
against the Lamanites to battle ; yea, in the strength of the
Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites : for I
and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would
deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were
awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our
fathers. And God did hear our cries, and did answer our
prayers ; and we did go forth in his might. Yea, we did go
forth against the Lamanites ; and in one day and a night we
did slay three thousand and forty-three ; we did slay them,
even until we had driven them out of our land. And I,"
myself, with mine own hands, did help to bury their dead.
And behold, to our great sorrow and lamentation, two hun-
dred and seventy-nine of our brethren were slain." — Book of
Mosidh.
" And it came to pass that the Lamanites made prej)ara-
tions for war, and came up to the land of Kephi for the pur-
APPENDIX.
295
pose of destroying tlie king and to place another in his stead,
and also of destroying the people of anti-Nephi-Lehi out of
the land. And it came to pass that when the people saw
that they were coming against them, they went out to meet
them, and prostrated themselves before them to the earth,
and began to call on the name of the Lord ; and thus they
w^re in this attitude when the Lamanites began to fall upon
them, and began to slay them with the sword ; and thus,
without meeting any resistance, they did slay a thousand
and five of them ; and we know that they are blessed, for
they have gone to dwell with their God. Now when the
Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee from the
sword, neither would they turn aside to the right hand or
to the left, but that they would lay down and perish, and
praised God even in the very act of perishing under the
sword ; now when the Lamanites saw this, they did forbear
from slaying them ; and there were many whose hearts had
swollen in^them for those of their brethren who had fallen
under the sword, for they repented of the things which they
had done
" And now it came to pass that after the people of Am-
mon were established in the land of Jershon, and a Church
also established in the land of Jershon ; and the armies of
the Nephites were set round about the land of Jershon ; yea,
in all the borders round about the land of Zarahemla ; be-
hold, the armies of the Lamanites had followed their brethren
into the wilderness. And thus a tremendous battle : yea,
even such an one as never had been known among all the
people in the land from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem ;
yea, and tens of thousands of the Lamanites were slain and
296 APPEITDIX. •
scattered abroad. Yea, aud also there was a tremendous
slaughter among the people of Nephi ; nevertheless, the
Lamanites were diiveu and scattered, aud the people of Ne-
phi returned again to their land
" And it came to jDass that the Lamanites came up on the
north of the hill where a part of the army of Moroni was
concealed. And as the Lamanites had passed the hill Rep-
lah, and came into the valley, and began to cross the river
Sidon, the army which was concealed on the south of the
hill, which was ted by a man whose name was Lehi ; and he
led his army forth and encircled the Lamanites about on the
east, in their rear.
" And it came to j^ass that the Lamanites, when they saw
the Kephites coming upon them in their rear, tm-ned them
about, and began to contend with the army of Lehi ; and
the work of death commenced on both sides ; but it was
more dreadful on the part of the Lamanites; for their
nakedness was exposed to the heavy blows of the^ Nephites
with their swords and their cimeters, which brought death
almost at every stroke ; while on the other hand there was
now and then a man fell among the Nephites by their
swords and the loss of blood ; they being shielded at
the more vital parts of the body, or the more vital jDarts of
the body being shielded from the strokes of the Lamanites
by their breastjDlates, and their arm-shields, and their head-
plates ; and thus the Nephites did carry on the work of
death among the Lamanites." — Book of Alma.
" And there was a great famine upon the land, among all
the people of Nephi. And thus, in the seventy-and-fourth
year, the famine did continue, and the work of destruction
APPEITDIX. ► 297
did cease by the sword, but became sore by famine. And
this work of destruction did also continue in the seventy-
and-fifth year. For the earth was smitten, that it was dry,
and did not yield forth grain in the season of grain ; and
the whole earth was smitten, even among the Lamanites as
well as among the jSTephites, so that they were smitten that
they did perish by thousands in the more wicked parts of
the land." — Book of Helaman.
" And now I finish my record concerning the destruction
of my people, the JSTephites. And it came to pass that we
did march forth before the Lamanites. And I, Mormon,
wrote an epistle unto the king of the Lamanites, and de-
sired of him that he would grant unto us that w^e might
gather together our people unto the land of Camorah, by a
hill which was called Camorah, and there we would give
them battle
" And it came to jDass that my people, with their wives
and their children, did now behold the armies of the Laman-
ites marching toward them ; and with that awful fear of
death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they
await to receive them. And it came to pass that they came
to battle against us, and every soul was filled with terror be-
cause of the greatness of their numbers. And it came to
pass that they did fall upon my peo^Dle with the sword, and
with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the axe, and
with all manner of weapons of war. And it came to pass
that my men were hewn down, yea, even my ten thousand
which were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst ; and
they passed by me that they did not put an end to my life.
And when they had gone through and hewn down all my
13*
298 APPENDIX.
people save it were twenty-and-four of us (among whom
was my son Moroni), and we having survived the dead of
our i^eople, did behold on the morrow, when the Lamanites
had returned unto their camps, from the top of the hill Ca-
morah, the ten thousand of my people which were hewn
down, being led in the front by me ; and we also beheld the
ten thousand of my people which were led by my son Mo-
roni. And behold, the ten thousand of Gidgiddonah had
fallen, and he also in the midst ; and Lamah had fallen with
his ten thousand ; and Gilgal had fallen with his ten thou-
sand ; and Limhah had fallen with his ten thousand ; and
Joneam had fallen with his ten thousand ; and Camenihah,
and JMoronihah, and Antionum, and Shiblom, and Shem, and
Josh, had fallen with their ten thousand each." — Bool: of
Mormon.
" Now there began to be a war upon all the face of the
land, every man with his band, fighting for that which he
desired. And there were robbers, and, in fine, all manner of
wickedness upon all the face of the land. And it came to
jDass that Coriantumr was exceeding angry with Shared, and
he went against him with his armies to battle ; and they did
meet in great anger ; and they did meet in the valley of Gil-
gal ; and the battle became exceeding sore. And it came to
pass that Shared fought against him for the space of three
days. And it came to pass that Coriantumr beat him, and
did pm'sue him until he came to the plains of Heshlon. And
it came to pass that Shared gave him battle again upon the
plains ; and behold, he did beat Coriantumr, and drove him
back again to the valley of Gilgal. And Coriantumr gave
Shared battle again in the valley of Gilgal, in the which he
APPENDIX. 299
beat Shared, and slew liim. And Shared wounded Corian-
tumr in his thigh, that he did not go to battle again for the
space of two years, in the which time all the people upon all
the face of the land were shedding blood, and there was none
to constrain them
" And the battle became exceeding sore, and many thou-
sands fell by the sword. And it came to pass that Corian-
tumr did lay siege to the wilderness, and the brother of
Shared did march forth out of the wilderness by night, and
slew a part of the army of Coriantumr, as they were drunken.
And he came forth to the land of Moron, and placed himself
upon the throne of Coriantumr. And it came to pass that
Coriantumr dwelt with his army in the wilderness for the
space of two years, in the which he did receive great strength
to his army. And it came to pass that one of the secret com-
binations murdered, him in a secret pass, and obtained unto
himself the kingdom ; and his name Vfas Lib ; and Lib was
a man of great stature, more than any other man among all
the people
" Now the name of the brother of Lib was called Shiz.
And Shiz pursued after Coriantumr, and he did overthrow
many cities, and he did slay both women and children, and
he did burn the cities thereof; and there went a fear of Shiz
throughout all the land ; yea, a cry went forth throughout
the land : Who can stand before the army of Shiz ? Behold,
he sweepeth the earth before him ! . . . .
" And so great and lasting had been the war, and so long
had been the scene of bloodshed and carnage, that the whole
face of the land was covered with the bodies of the dead ;
and so swift and speedy was the wai' that there was none
300 APPENDIX.
left to bury the dead ; but they did march forth from the
shedding of blood to the shedding of blood, leaving the
bodies of men, women, and children, strewn upon the face
of the land, to become a prey to the worms of the flesh ;
and the scent thereof went forth upon the face of the land,
even upon all the face of the land ; wherefore tlie people be-
came troubled by day and by night, because of the scent
thereof ; nevertheless, Shiz did not cease to pursue Corian-
tumr, for he had sworn to avenge himself upon Coriantumr
of the blood of his brother which had been slain, and the
word of the Lord which came to Ether, that Coriantumr
should not fall by the sword. And thus we see that the
Lord did visit them in the fulness of his wrath, and their
wickedness and abominations had prepared a way for their
everlasting destruction." — BooTc of Ether.
mSTITUTIONS OF THE MOEMOK METKOPOLIS.
I^ew Tabernacle Completeil — Tlie great Unfinislied Temple — Young* s
Theory of Chrisfs Second Coming, etc.
A NEW Tabernacle, commenced by the Latter-Day Saints
in 18G2, has just been comj^leted and dedicated to the Mor-
mon service at Salt Lake City. It is a large adobe edifice,
plain in its architecture, and computed to be ample for the
accommodation of eight thousand Mormons. This structure
supplies the place of the old Tabernacle (or Endowment-
House), and the Bowery. It stands inside the walls enclos-
ing the immense area called " Temple Block."
The adobes used in this building, with suitable founda-
tion and coping, are found on trial to be substantial and
APPENDIX. 301
durable in a climate like that of Utah. They are made of a
peculiar kind of blue clay abounding in the Territory, simi-
lar in shape to common brick, though larger, being sun-
dried instead of kiln-burnt. The theatre, penitentiary, and
most of the buildings of the city, are constructed of these
adobes.
The great unfinished "Temple of the Lord" is a mag-
nificent project ; but beyond the erection of its massive foun-
dation walls it is little more than a project. So far as pro-
gressed, the building is composed of huge blocks of granite,
hewn from the quarry at Cottonwood Canon, and hauled by
ox-teams a distance of eighteen miles. An eye-witness writes :
" One of these blocks generally makes a load for ten or twelve
oxen, and tlii'ee days are spent in delivering each load. Con-
template for a moment the character and amount of labor
performed — the innumerable tons of wi'ought granite re-
quired— and ask yourself, at what age of the world has like
obedience to ' spiritual authority ' been yielded without com-
pensation since the building of the pyramids of Cheops and
Ghizeh ? For, it is to be remembered that all this work is
done in commutation of tithes. And then calculate, if you
can, the probabilities in regard to the period of the future
when the monster temple, to contain eighteen thousand Mor-
mon saints, is to receive its finishing stone ! "
The theory inculcated by Young, and disseminated by
his apostles and priesthood, and probably believed by their
deluded followers, is, that he is to experience great mortal
longevity ; that Christ, at his second coming, is to be his
ultimate successor ; and that this event will occur when the
" saints " shall have finished the building of a temple suit-
302 APPENDIX.
able for tLe Saviour's reception, and not before. His Ian-
guage, as uttered from the pulpit, and literally reported, is :
" Wlien the temple is completed — that very day — yes, that
very hour — Christ, with his holy angels, and the prophets
and apostles, and Joseph aud Hyrum (meaning the Smiths),
and all the saints who have died in the faith, and all who
have obeyed revealed authority, will come to set up His
kingdom on earth."
Of course the arch-impostor is sharp enough to prolong
his power and aggrandizement by delaying the completion
of the temple for many years to come ; and, in truth, at the
rate of progress that has been made already, it would take a
century if not centuries to finish that sacred receptacle. This
artifice essentially aids in the maintenance of a prestige and
dominion among his believers equal to any requirement in
his own behalf.
The problem to be solved by time and events, is an inter-
esting one for the followers of truth : When the 23resent auto-
crat of Mormondom shall come to obey the inexorable fiat
addressed to all living, as sooner or later he must, "Dust thou
art, and unto dust shalt thou return," can a mortal successor
be found who will be able to hold uj) the rod of power. now
wielded over fanaticism with a degree of success that, as-
tonishes the civilized world ?
THE END.
LIST OF WORKS
PUBLISHED BY D. APPLETON & CO.,
ISTos. 44r3 Sc 44r5 Broadway, IS". ^^.
'iA Descri2)tive Catalogue, with full titles and prices, may he Jiad
gratuitously on application.
About's Eoman Question.
Adams' Boys at Home.
Edgar Clifton.
Addison's Spectator. 6 vols.
Adler's German and English Diction-
ary.
Abridged do, do. do.
German Reader.
" Literature.
Ollendorff for Learning German,
Key to the Exercises.
Iphigenia in Tauris.
After Icebergs with a Painter.
Agnel's Book of Chess.
Aguilar's Home Influence,
Mother's Recompense,
Days of Bruce. 2 vols.
Home Scenes.
Woman's Friendship.
Women of Israel. 2 vols.
Vale of Cedars.
Ahn's French Method.
Spanish Grammar.
A Key to same.
German Method. 1 vol.
Or, separately — First Course. 1
vol.
Second " 1
vol.
Aids to Faith. A series of Essays, by
Various Writers.
Aikin's British Poets. From Chaucer
to the Present Time. 3 vols.
Album for Postage Stamps.
Albums of Foreign Galleries; in 7
folios.
Alden's Elements of Intellectual Phi-
losophy.
Alison's Miscellaneous Essays.
Allen's Mechanics of Nature.
Alsop's Charms of Fancy.
Amelia's Poems.
American Poets (Gems from the).
American Eloquence. A Collection
of Speeches and Addresses. 2
vols.
American System of Education :
1. Hand- Book of Anglo-Saxon
Root-Words.
2. Hand-Book of Anglo-Saxon
Derivatives.
American System of Education :
3. Haud-Book of Engrafted Words.
Anderson's Mercantile Correspond-
ence.
Andrews' New French Instructor.
A Key to the above.
Annals of San Francisco.
Antisell on Coal Oils.
Anthon's Law Student.
Appletons' New American Cyclopjedia
of Useful Knowledge. 16 vols.
Annual Cycloj>agdia, and Register
of Important Events for 18G1,
'62, '63, '64, '65.
Cyclopaedia of Biography, For-
eign and American.
Cyclopt'edia of Drawing.
The same in parts :
Topographical Drawing.
Perspective and Geometrical
Drawing.
Shading and Shadows.
Dra^\ing Instruments and their
Uses.
Architectural Drawing and De-
sign.
Mechanical Drawing and Design.
Dictionary of Mechanics and En-
gineering. 2 large vols.
Railway Guide.
American Illustrated Guido
Book. 1 vol.
Do. do., separately :
1. Eastern and Middle States,
and British Provinces. 1 vol,
2. Southern and Western States,
and the Territories. 1 vol.
Companion Hand-Book of Travel.
Arabian Nights' Entertainments.
Arnold's (S. G.) History of the State
of Rhode Island. 2 vols.
Arnold's (Dr.) History of Rome.
Modern History.
Arnold's Classical Series :
First Latin Book.
First and Second Latin Book and
Grammar.
Latin Prose Composition.
Cornelius Nepos.
Fu-st Greek Book.
Greek Prose Composition Book, 1.
D. APPLETON & CO.'S PUBLICATIONa
Arnold's Greek Prose Composition
Book, 2.
Greek Heading Book.
Arthurs (T. S.) Tired of Housekeeping.
Ai-thur's ( W.) Successful Merchant.
At Anchor; or. A Story of our Civil
War.
Atlantic Library. 7 vols, in case.
Attache in Madrid.
Aunt Fanny's Story Book.
Mitten Series. 6 vols, in case.
Night Cap Series. 6 vols, in case.
Badois' English Grammar for French-
men.
A Key to the above.
Baine's Manual of Composition and
Ehetoric.
Bakeweirs Great Facts
Baldwin's Flush Times.
Party Leaders.
Balmanno's Pen and Pencil.
Bank Law of the United States.
Barrett's Beauty for Ashes.
Bartlett's U. S. Explorations. 2 vols.
Cheap edition. 2 vols, in 1.
Barwell's Good in Every Thing.
Bassnett's Theory of Storms.
Baxley's West Coast of America and
Hawaiian Islands.
Beach's Pelavo. An Epic.
Beall (John *Y.), Trial of
Beauties of Sacred Literature.
Beauties of Sacred Poetry.
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works. 2
vols.
Belem's Spanish Phrase Book.
Bello's Spanish Grammar (in Spanish).
Benedicfs Pam Through Europe.
Benton on the Di-ed Scott Case.
Thirty Years' View. 2 vols.
Debates of Congress. 16 vols.
Bertha Percy. By Margaret Field.
12mo.
Bertram's Harvest of the Sea. Eco-
nomic and Natural History of
Fishes.
Bessie and Jessie's Second Book.
Beza's Novum Testamentum.
Bibles in all styles of bindings and
various prices.
Bible Stories, in Bible Language.
Black's General Atlas of the World.
Bloomfleld's Farmer's Boy.
Blot's What to Eat, and llow to Cook
it.
Blue and Gold Poets. 6 vols, in case.
Boise's Greek Exercises.
. First Three Books of Xenophon's
Anabasis.
Bojcsen's Greek and Eoman Antiqui-
ties.
Book of Common Prayer. Various
prices.
Boone's Life and Adventures.
Bourne's OatecWsm of the Steam En-
gine.
Hand-Book of the Steam Engine,
Treatise on the Steam Engine.
Boy's Book of Modern Travel.
Own Toy Maker
Bradford's Peter the Great.
Bradley's (Mary E.) Douglass Farm.
Bradley's (Chas.) Sermons.
Brady's Christmas Dream,
Breakfast, Dinner, and Tea.
British Poets. From Chaucer to the
Present Time. 8 large vols.
British Poets. Cabinet Edition. 15
vols.
Brooks' Ballads and Translations.
Brown, Jones, and Pobinson's Tour.
Bryan's English Grammar for Ger.
mans.
Bryant & Stratton's Ccmmercial La-w.
Bryant's Poems, Hlustrated.
Poems. 2 vols.
Thirty Poems.
Poems. Blue and Gold.
Letters from Spain.
Buchanan's Administration.
Buckle's Civilization in England. 2
vols.
Essays.
Bunyan's Divine Emblems.
Burdett's Chances and Changes.
Never Too Late.
Burgess' Photograph Manual. 12mo.
Burnett (James P.) en the Ihirty-
nine Articles.
Burnett (Peter H.), The Path which
led a Protestant Lawyer to the
Catholic Church,
Burnouf's Gramatica Latina.
Burns' (Jabez) Cyclopadia of Sermons.
Burns' (Eobert) Poems.
Burton's Cyclopadia of Wit and Hu-
mor. 2 vols.
Butler's IMartin Tan Purcn.
Butler's (F.) Spanifh Teacher.
Butler's (S.) Hudibras.
Butler's (T. B.) Guide to the Weather.
Butler's (Wm. Allen) Two Millions.
Byron Gallery. The Gallery of By-
ron Beauties.
Poetical Works.
Life and Letters.
Works. Illustrated.
Cceleb's Laws and Practice of Whist.
Ca?sar's Commentaries.
Caird's Prairie Farming.
Calhoun's Works and Speeches. Cvols.
Campbell's (Thos.) Gertrude of Wy-
oming.
Poems.
Campbell (Judge) on Shakespeare.
Canot, Life of Captain.
Carlyle's (Thomas) Essays,
Carreno'8 Manual of Politenesf.
D. APPLETON & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS.
Carreno's Compendio del Manual de
Urbanidad.
Casseday's Poetic Lacon.
Cavendish's Law3 of "Whist.
Cervantes'' Don Quixote, in Spanish,
Don Quixote, in Ensclish.
Cesar L"Histoire de Jules, par S. M.
I. Napoleon III. Vol. I., with
Maps and Portrait. (French.)
Cheap Edition, without Maps and
Portrait.
Maps and Portrait, for cheap edi-
tion, in envelopes.
Champlin''s English Grammar.
Greek Grammar,
Chase on the Constitution and Canons.
Chaucer's Poems.
Chevalier on Gold.
Children's Holidays.
Child's First History.
Choquet's French Composition.
French Conversation.
Cicero de Officiis.
Chittenden's Eeport of the Peace Con-
vention.
Select Orations.
Clarke's (D. S.) Scripture Promises.
Clarke's (Mrs. Cowden) Iron Cousin.
Clark's (H. J.) Mind in Nature.
Cleaveland and Backus' Villas and Cot-
tages.
Cleveland's (H. W. S.) Hints to Eifle-
men.
Cloud Crystals. A Snow Flake Album.
Cobb's (J. B.) Miscellanies.
Coe's Spanish Drawing Cards. 10 parts.
Coe's Drawing Cards. 10 parts.
Colenso on the Pentateuch. 2 vols.
On the Romans.
Coleridge's Poems.
Collins' Amoor.
Collins' (T. W.) Humanics.
Collet's Dramatic French Reader.
Comings' Physiology.
Companion to Physiology.
Comment on Parle a Paris.
Congreve's Comedy.
Continental Library. 6 vols, in case.
Cooke's Life of Stonewall Jackson.
Cookery, hy an American Lady.
Cooley's Cyclopsiadia of Receipts.
Cooper's Mount Vernon.
Copley's Early Friendship.
Poplar Grove.
Cornell's First Steps in Geography,
Primary Geography.
Intermediate Geography.
Grammar School Geography.
High School Geosrraphy and Atlas.
High School Geography.
" " Atlas.
Map Drawing. 12 maps in case.
' Outline Maps, with Key. 13 maps
in portfolio.
— Or, the Key, separately.
of
of
Cornwall on Music.
Correlation and Conservation
Forces.
Cortez' Life and Adventures.
Cotter on the Mass and Rubrics.
Cottin's Elizabeth ; or, the Exiles
Siberia.
Cousin Alice's Juveniles.
Cousin Carrie's Sun Rays.
Keep a Good Heart.
Cousin's Modern Philosophy. 2 vols.
On the True and Beautiful.
— Only Romance.
Coutan's French Poetry.
Covell's English Grammar, '
Cowles' Exchange Tables.
Cowper's Homer's Iliad.
Poems,
Cox's Eight Years in Congress, from
1S5T to 1S05.
Coxe's Christian Ballads.
Creasy on the English Constitution.
Crisis (The).
Crosby's (A.) Geometry.
Crosby's (II.) ffidipus Tyrannus.
Crosby's (W. H.) Quintus Curtius
Rufus.
Crowe's Linny Lockwood.
Curry's Volunteer Book,
Cust's Invalid's Book.
Cyclopaedia of Commercial and Busi-
ness Anecdotes, 2 vols,
D'Abrantes' Memoires of Napoleon.
2 vols.
Dairyman's (The) Daughter.
Dana's Household Poetry.
Darwin's Origin of Species.
Dante's Poenis.
Dasent's Popular Tales from the
Norse.
Davenport's Christian Unity and its
Recovery.
Dawson's Archaia.
De Belem's Spanish Phrase-Book.
De Fivas' Elementary French Reader.
Classic French Reader.
De Foe's Robinson Crusoe.
De Girardin's Marguerite.
Stories of ah Old Maid.
De Hart on Courts Martial.
De L'Ardeche's History of Napoleon,
De Peyrac's Comment on Parle,
De Stii'jl's Corinne, ou L'ltalie.
De Veitelle's Mercantile Dictionary,
De Vere's Spanish Grammar.
Dew's Historical Digest.
Dickens's (Charles) Works. Original
Illustrations. 24 vols.
Dies Irae and Stabat Mater, bound to-
gether.
Dies irae, alone, and Stabat Mater,
alone.
Dix's (John A.) Winter in Madeira.
Speeches and Addresses. 2 vols.
D. APPLET ON & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS.
Dix's (Hoy. M.) Lost Unity of the
Christian World.
Dr. Oldham at Grej^stones, and his
Talk there.
Doane's Works. 4 vols.
Dowiiing's Rural Architecture.
Dr\-don's Poems.
Duulaps Siiirit History of Man.
Dusseldorf Gallery, Gem-s from the.
Dwiffht on the Study of Art.
Ebony Idol (The).
Ede's Management of Steel.
Edith Yaughan's Victory.
Egloflstein's Geology and Physical
Geography of Mexico.
Eichhorn's German Grammar.
Elliot's Fine Work on Birds. 7 parts,
or in 1 vol.
Ellsworth's Text-Book of Penman-
ship.
Ely's Journal.
Enfield's Indian Corn ; its Value, Cul-
ture, and Uses.
Estvan's War Pictures.
Evans' History of the Shakers.
Evelyn's Life of Mrs. Godolphin. '
Everett's Mount Vernon Papers.
Fables, Original and Selected,
Farrai-'s History of Free Thought.
Faustus.
Fay's Poems.
Fenelon's Telemaque.
The same, in 2 vols.
Teleraachus.
Field's Bertha Percy.
Field's (M.) City Architecture,
Figuier's World before the Deluge.
Fireside Library. S vols, in case.
First Thoughts.
Fiji and the Fijians.
Flint's Physiology of Man.
Florian's William Tell.
Flower Pictures.
Fontana's Italian Grammar,
Foote's Africa and the American
Flag.
Foresti's Italian Extracts.
Four Gospels (The).
Franklin's Man's Cry and God's Gra-
cious Answer.
Frieze's Tenth and Twelfth Books of
Quintilian.
FuUerton's (Lady G.) Too Strange Not
to be True.
Funny Story Book.
Garland's Life of Randolph.
Gaskell's Life of Bronte. 2 vols.
The same, cheaper edition, in 1 vol.
George Ready.
Gerard's French Readings.
Gertrude's Philip Randolph.
Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar.
Ghostly Colloquies.
Gibbes' Docimientary History, 3
vols.
Gibbons' Banks of New York.
Gilfillan's Literary Portraits.
Gillespie on Land Surveyinsr.
Girardin on Dramatic Literature,
Goadby's Text-Eook of Physiology,
Goethe's Iphigenia in Tauris,
Goldsmith's Essays.
Vicar of Wakefleld.
Gosse's Evenings with the Microscope,
Goulburn's Office of the Holy Com-
munion.
Idle Word.
Manual of Confirmation,
Sermons.
Study of the Holy Scriptures.
Thoughts on Personal Religion.
Gould's (E. S.) Comedy.
Gould's (W. M.) Zephyrs.
Graham's English Synonymes.
Grandmamma Easy's Toy Books.
Grandmother's Library. 6 vols, in
case.
Grand's Spanish Arithmetic.
Grant's Report on the Armies of the
United States 1864-65.
Grauet's Portuguese Grammar.
Grayson's Theory of Christianity.
Greek Testament.
Greene's (F. H.) Primary Botany.
Class-Book of Botany.
Greene's (G. W.) Companion to Ollen-
dorff,
First Lessons in French.
First Lessons in Italian.
Middle Ages.
Gregory's Mathematics.
GriHin on the Gospel.
Griffith's Poems.
Griswold's Rei)ublican Court.
Sacred Poets.
Guizot's (Madame) Tales.
Guizot's (M.) Civilization in Europe.
4 vols,
School edition. 1 vol.
New Edition, on tinted paper. 4
vols.
Gurowski's America and Europe.
Russia as it is.
Hadley's Greek Grammar.
Hahn's Greek Testament.
Hall's (B. H.) Eastern Vermont,
Hall's (C, H.) Notes on the Gospels.
2 vols.
Hall's (E. H.) Guide to the Great
West.
Halleck's Poems.
Poems. Pocket size, blue and
gold.
Toung America.
Halleck's (H. W.) Military Science.
Hamilton's (Sir Wm.) Philosophy.
Hamilton's (A.) Writings, 6 vols.
D. APPLETON & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS.
Iland-Books on Education,
Hand-Book of Anglo-Saxon Eoot-
Words.
Hand- Book of Anglo-Saxon Deri-
vatives.
Hand-Book of tUe Engrafted
Words.
Handy-Book ot Property Law.
Happy Child's Library. 18 vols, in
case.
Harkness' First Greek Book.
Latin Grammar.
First Latin Book.
Second "
Latin Reader.
Hase's History of the Chnrch.
Haskell's . Housekeeper's Encyclo-
picdia.
Ilassard's Life of Archbishop Hughes.
Wreath of Beauty.
Haupt on Bridge Construction.
Haven's Where There's a Will There's
a Way.
Patient Waiting no Loss.
Nothing Venture Nothing Have.
■ Out of Debt Out of Danger.
Contentment Better than Wealth.
No Such Word as Fail.
All's Not Gold that Glitters,
A Place for Everything, and
Everything in its Place.
Loss and Gain.
Pet Bird.
Home Series of Juvenile Books.
8 vols, in case.
Haven (Memoir of Alice B.).
Hazard on the Will.
Hecker's Questions of the Soul.
Hemans' Poems. 2 vols.
Songs of the Affections.
Henck's Field-Book for Engineers.
Henry on Human Progress,
Herbert's Poems.
Here and There.
Herodotus, by Johnson (in Greek).
Herodotus, by Kawlinson (in English).
4 vols.
Heydenreich's German Reader,
Hickok's Rational Cosmology.
Rational Psychology.
History of the Rebellion, Military and
Naval. Hlustrated,
Hoffman's Poems.
Holcombe's Leading Cases.
Law of Dr. and Cr.
Letters in Literature.
Holly's Country Seats.
Holmes' (M. A.) Tempest and Sun-
shine.
English Orphans.
Holmes' (A.) Parties and Principles.
Homes of American Authors.
Homer's Hiad.
Hooker's Complete Works. 2 vols.
Hoppin's Notes.
Horace, edited by Lincoln.
Howitt's Child's Verse-Book.
Juvenile Tales. 14 vols, in case.
How's Historical Shak spear ian Reader.
Shakspearian Reader.
Hue's Tartary and China.
Hudson's Life and Adventures.
Humboldt's Letters.
Hunt's (C. H.) Life of Livingston.
Hunt's (F. W.) Historical Atlas.
Huntington's Lady Alice.
Hutton's Mathematics.
Huxley's Man's Place in Nature.
Origin of Species.
Iconographic Encyclopedia. 6 vols. —
4 Text and 2 Plates.
Or, separately :
The Countries and Cities of the
World. 2 vols.
The Navigation of all Ages. 2
vols.
The Art of Building in Ancient
and Modern Times. 2 vols.
The Religions of Ancient and
Modern Times. 2 vols.
The Fine Arts Illustrated. 2
vols.
Technology Illustrated. 2 vols.
Internal Revenue Law.
Iredell's Life. 2 vols.
Italian Comedies.
Jacobs' Learning to Spell.
The same, in two parts.
Jaeger's Class-Book of Zoology.
Janies' (J. A.) Young Man.
James' (H.) Losic of Creation.
James' (G. P. R.) Adi-ien.
Jameson's (Mrs.) Art Works.
Legends of Saints and Martyrs.
2 vols.
Legends of the Monastic Orders.
Legends of the Madonna.
History of Our Lord. 2 vols.
Jarvis' Reply to Milner.
Jay on American Agriculture.
Jeffers on Gunnery.
Jeffrey's (F.) Essays.
Johnson's Meaning of Words.
Johnson's (Samuel) Rasselas.
Johnston's Chemistry of Common
Life. 2 vols.
Kavanagh's A dele.
Beatrice.
Daisy Bums.
Grace Lee.
Madeleine,
Nathalie.
Rachel Gray,
Seven Years,
Queen Mab. ^
Women of Christianity.
Keats' Poems,
D. APPLETON & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS.
Keep a Goofl Heart.
Keiichtkw's Mythology.
Keil's Fairy Stories. "
Keith piomoir of Caroline P.)
Kendrlck's Greek Ollemlorff.
Kenny's Manual of Chess.
Kinglake's Crimean War. Yols, 1
and 2.
Kirke White's Poems.
Klrkland's Life of Washington.
A Cheaper Edition, for Schools.
KnoVles' Orlean Lamar.
Koei)f)en's Middle Ages.
Separately — Middle Ages, 2 vols.
Atlas.
Kohlrausch's History of Germany.
Kuliner's Greek Grammar.
Lafever's Beauties of xirchitecture.
Lady Alice.
' Lamartine's Confidential Disclosures.
History of Tm-key. 3 vols.
Lancelott's Queens of England, and
their Times. 2 vols."
Landon's (L. E.) Complete Works.
Latham's English Language.
Layard's Nineveh. Illustrated.
Cheap edition. Without Illus-
trations.
Learning to Spell.
Le Brun's Telemaque.
Lecky's Rise and Influence of Eation-
alism. 2 vols.
Le Sage's Adventures of Gil Bias. 1
vol.
Gil Bias, in Spanish.
Letter Writer.
Letters from Rome.
Levres' (G. H.) History of Philosophy.
2 vols.
In 1 vol.
Physiolosv of Common Life.
Library of Travel and Adventure. 3
vols, in case.
Library for my Young Countrymen,
9 vols, in case.
Libro Priniario de Ortografia,
Liebig's Laws of Husbandry.
Life of Man Symbolized by the
Months of the Year.
Light and Darkness
Lights and Shadows of New York
Picture Galleries,
Lindsay's Poems,
Linn's Life and Services.
Little Builder.
Little Engineer.
Livy, witii English Notes.
Locan's Chateau Frissac.
Looking Glass for the Mind.
Lord's Poems.
Christ in Hades : a Poem.
Louise. ^
Lunt's Origin of the Late War.
Xiyell's Elements of Geology.
Lyeirs Principles of Geology.
Lyra Americana.
Lyra Anglicana.
Macaulay's Essays. 1 vol.
Essays. 7 vols.
Essays. A New and Revised Edi-
tion, on tinted paper. 6 vols.
Mackintosh's (Sir James) Essays.
Madso.
Mahan's Answer to Colenso.
Numerals of Scripture.
]\Iahon's England. 2 vols.
Plain's Novum Testamentum Gr.nece.
Mandeville's New Series of Readers.
1. Primary Reader.
2. Second Reader.
3. Third Reader.
4. Fourth Reader.
5. Fifth Reader.
Mandeville's Course of Reading.
Reading and Oratory.
First Spanish Reader.
Second Spanish Reader.
Third Spanish Reader.
Ma^nall's Historical Questions.
Man's Cr}' and God's Gracious Answer.
Manners' At Home and Abroad.
Sedgemoor.
Manning's "Temporal Mission of the
Holy Ghost.
The Reunion of Christendom.
Manual of Matrimony.
Markham's History of England.
Marrayafs Africa.
Masterman Ready.
Popular Novels. 12 vols.
A New and Revised Edition,
printed on tinted paper 12
vols.
Man-vat's Settlers in Canada.
Marshall's (E. C.^, Book of Oratory,
First Book of Oratory.
Marshall's (T. W.) Notes on Episco-
pacy.
Marsh's Double Entry Book-keeping.
Single Entry Book-keeping.
Bank Book-keepinc.
Book-keeping (in Spanish).
Blank Books for Double Entry.
6 books in set.
Do. for Single Entry. 6 books in
set.
Martha's Hooks and Eyes.
Martineau's Crofton Boys.
Peasant and Prince.
^lary Lee.
Mary Staunton.
Mathews on Whist.
Mayhew's Hlustrated Horse DoctO
May's Bertram Noel.
Louis' School Days.
Mortimer's College Life.
Sunshine of Greystone.
McCormick's Visit to SebastopoL
D. APPLETON & CO.'S PUBLICATION'S.
Mcintosh's Aunt Kitty's Tales.
. Charms and Counter Charms.
Evcnins's at Donaldson Manor.
Loity and Lowly. 2 vols.
Maggie and Emma.
:Meta Gray.
Two Lives.
Two Pictures.
New <J uvenile Library. T vols.
in case.
McLee's Alphabets.
McWhorter's Church Essays.
Meadows' Italian Dictionary.
Memoirs of Catharine 11.
Merchant of Venice.
Merivale's History of the Eomans. T
vols.
Conversion of the Eoman Empire.
" " Northern 'Na-
tions.
Merry Christmas Book.
Michelet's France. 2 vols.
Milhouse's Italian Dictionary. 2 vols.
Mill's Political Economy. 2 vois.
Milledulcia.
Milton's, Poems.
Paradise Lost.
Miniature Library. 27 voli
Ministry of Life.'
Minturn's Travels in India.
Modern British Essayists. 8 vols.
Model's Light.
Moore's EeVolutionaiy Ballads.
Moore's (George II.) Notes on the
, History of Slavery in Massa-
chusetts.
Moore's (Thos.) Irish Melodies.
Moore's (;Tho3.) Memoirs and Journal.
2 vols.
Lallah Eookb.
Poems. 1 vol., cheap edition.
^ Do., on fine tinted paper.
Morales' Spanish Header.
Moran on Money.
More's Practical Piety. 2 vols.
Private Devotions.
Domestic Tales.
Pairal Talcs.
Villaire Tales. 2 vols, in 1.
Morin's Practical Mechanics.
Morphy's Chess Games.
Triumphs.
Mullisran's English Grammar.
My Cave Life in Vicksburg.
Napoleon Bonaparte, by F. de I'Ar-
deche.
Napoleon Correspondence. 2 vols.
New Fairy Stories.
Newcomb on Financial Policy.
Newman's Apologia Pro Yita Sua.
' Sermons.
New Testament, with engravings on
wood from designs "by the an-
cient masters. 1 vol.
New Testament, with Comment by E.
Churton and W. B. ooucn. ?
vols.
New York City Banks.
New York Picture Galleries.
Nightcap Serieb of Juveniles. 6 vols.
in case.
Nightingale on Nursing.
Novum Testamentum, interpret*.
Beza.
Nueva Biblioteca de la Risa.
Nuovo Tesoro di Schergos.
Nursery Basket.
O'Callaghan's N«w Netherlands. 2
vols.
Qlhlschlager's German Eeader.
Ogilby on Lay Baptism.
Oldfellow's Uncle Nat.
Oliphant's Katmandu.
Ollendorff's English Grammar for
Spaniards.
A Key to the Exercises. .
English Grammar for Germans.
A Key to the Exercises.
French Grammar, by Jewett.
A Key to the Exercises.
French Grammar, by Value.
A Key to the Exercises.
French Grammar for Spaniards.
Key- to the same.
German Grammar.
A Key to the Exercises.
Italian Grammar.
A Key to the Exercises.
Spanish Grammar.
A Key to the Exercises.
Ortografia.
Ordronaux' Hints on Health.
Oriental Library. 5 vols, in case.
Osgood's Hearthstone.
Mile Stones.
Ostervald's Nouveau Testament.
Otis' Landscapes. 1 vol.
The same, in 6 parts.
Studies of Animals. 1 vol.
Studies of Animals. 6 parts.
Overman's Metallurgy.
Owen's (Jno. J.) Acts of the Apos-
tles.
Greek Eeader.
Homer's Odyssey.
Homer's Iliad.
Thucydides.
Xenophon's Anabasis.
Xenophon's Cyropaxlia.
Owen's Penmanship. S books.
Paez' Geografia del Mundo.
Pages and Pictures. From the writ-
ings of James Fcnimore Cooper.
Paine's Tent and Harem.
Palenzuela's Gramatica Inglesa.
Key to the same.
Palmer s Book-keeping.
D, APPLETON & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS.
Parker's Critical and Miscellaneous
Writings.
Speeches and Addresses. 3
vols.
Additional Speeches. 2 vols.
Sermons of Theism.
Ten Sermons.
Trial and Defence.
Two Christmas Celebrations.
AVorks. 2 vols.
(Life of Theodore). 2 vols.
Parlej^'s Fagcrots for the Fireside.
Present for all Seasons.
Parley's Wanderers by Sea and Land.
Patton's History of the United States.
Paul and Virginia.
Pearson on the Creed.
Perkins' Primary Arithmetic.
Elementary Arithmetic.
Practical Arithmetic.
The same, in Spanish.
A Key to Practical Arithmetic.
Higher Arithmetic.
Algebra.
Higher Algebra.
Geometry.
Higher Geometry.
Plane Trigonometry.
Perry's Americans in Japan.
Expedition to the China Seas and
Japan.
Petit's Household Mysteries.
Peyrac's Comment on Parle a Paris.
Ph'elan on Billiards.
Pha?nixiana.
Picture Gallery, in Spanish.
Pickell's Narrative. History of the
Potomac Company.
Planches' Lead Diseases.
Plato's Apology.
Poetical Gems. Blue and Gold. 6 vols.
in case.
Poets' Gallery.
Pollok's Poems.
Pomeroy's Municipal Law.
Pope's Poems.
Porter's Scottish Chiefs.
Portraits of my Married Friends.
Practical Cook Book.
Pratt's Dawnings of Genius.
Prince Charlie.
Pulpit Cyclop?edia and Minister's
Companion.
Punch's Pocket-Book of Fun.
Punchinello.
Pure Gold.
Pusey's Eirenicon.
Putz's Ancient Geography.
Mediaeval Geography.
Modern Geography.
Quackenbos' First Book in English
Grammar.
English Grammar.
T First Lessons on Composition.
Quackenbos' Advanced Course of
Composition and Ehetoric.
Natural Philosophy.
Primary History.
History of the United States.
Primary Arithmetic.
Elementary Arithmetic.
Practical Arithmetic.
Queens of England : a Series of Por-
traits.
Railway Anecdote Book.
Rawlinson's Herodotus. 4 vols.
Recreative Readinss in French.
Reid's English Dictionary.
Reminiscences of a Zouave.
Replies to Essays and Reviews.
Republican Court.
Report on the Hygienic Condition of
New York City.
Report of the United States Revenue
Commission.
Reynard the Fox. After the version of
Goethe.
Reynolds on Hand-Railings.
Rice's (Harvey) Poems.
Richards' At Home and Abroad.
Pleasm-e and Profit.
Harry's Vacation.
Electron.
Ricord's Youth's Grammar.
Ripalda's Spanish Catechism.
Robbins' Book of Poetry.
Guide to Knowledge.
Robertson's English Course for Spen-
iards. with Key.
Roemer's First French Reader.
Second French Reader.
Polyglot Readers— comprising
English Text; French, Ger-
man, Spanish, and Italian
Translations.
Rosa Mystica.
Rosales' Caton Christiana.
Round the Block.
Rowan's French Reader.
— — French Revolution. 2 vols.
Royo's Instruccion Moral.
St. Pierre's Paul and Virginia.
Saintaine's Picciola. (In French.)
Sallust. with Notes.
Sampson's Brief Remarker.
Sandham's Twin Sisters.
Sanitary Condition of New York.
Sarmiento's Lectura Gradual.
Savarin's Hand-Book of Dining.
Schedel's Emancipation of Faith. 2
vols.
Schmidt's Ancient Geography.
Schmucker's History of the Four
Georges.
Schwegler's History of Philosophy.
Scott's^Lady of the Lake.
Lay of the Last Minstrel.
D. APPLETON & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS.
Scott's Marmion.
Poems, 16mo.
Poems, 8vo.
Scott's Soldier's Book.
Seoano and Neuman's Spanisli Dic-
tionary.
Tlie same, abridged.
Sermons by the Paulists.
Sewell's Amy Herbert.
Cleve Hall.
Earl's Daughter.
. Experience of Life.
Glimpse of the "World,
Gertrude.
Ivors. 2 vols.
Katharine Ashton.
Laneton Parsonage,
2 vols.
3 vols.
2 vols.
Margaret Percival
School Journal.
Ursula. 2 vols.
Sewell's Early Church.
Night Lessons.
Passing Thoughts.
Principles of Education.
History of Kome.
History of Greece.
Sewell's (R.) Boimty, Pension, and
Prize Laws.
Shader's Copy-Books.
Shakspeare's Works. 1 thick vol., Svo.
Works. 2 vols., Svo.
Works. 1 vol.. Svo.
Works. 4 vols., Svo.
Shakspeare Gallery.
Tempest. Hlustrated.
Sherbrooke. By H. F. G. Author of
" Madge."
Sherlock's Practical Christian.
Sigourney's Letters of Life.
Silber's Progressive Lessons in Greek,
Silver's Answer to Coleuso.
Symbolic Character.
Simonnc's French Grammar for Span-
iards.
Key to the same.
French Verbs.
Sketches and Skeletons of Sermons.
Smith's (A.) Astronomy, in Spanish.
Geosraphy, in Spanish.
Smith's (H.) Gaieties and Gravities.
Smith's (J.) Life.
Smith's (.T.W.) Mercantile Law.
Smith's (P.) Universal History. 8 vols.
Smith's (S.) Works.
Smoker's Text-Book.
Southard on Godliness.
Southey's Oliver Cromwell.
Poems.
The same, cheap edition,
Southgate's Syrian Church.
Souvestre's Attic Philosopher.
. Family Journal.
Soyer's Modern Cookery.
Spalding on English Literature.
Speckter's Picture Fables.
Spectator (The). 6 vols.
Spencer's Classification of the Sciences.
Education.
Essays : Moral, Political, and
J^lsthetic.
First Principles.
Illustrations of Progress.
Social Statics.
Works. 5 vols.
Psychology.
Biology. Vol. L
Spenser's Poems.
Spiers' (Jewett) French and English
Dictionary.
School French and English DiC'
tionary.
Spiers' and Surenne's French Dic-
tionary.
New Abridged Edition.
Spiritual Conceits. Extracted "from
the writings of the Fathers.
Sprasuc's History of the Florida War.
Stabat Mater.
Steam's Shakspeare's Medical Knowl-
edge.
Stratford" Gallery.
Strickland's Queens of England: a
Series of Portraits.
Story of a Genius.
Surenne's French Dictionary.
New French Manual.
Sutton's Learn to Live.
Swarts' Letters.
Swett on Consumption.
Tacitus' Histories, by Tyler.
Germania and Agricola.
Tales for the People.
Talfonrds and Stephens' Essays.
Tappau's Elements of Logic.
Travels in Euro])e. 2 vols.
Tasso. by Wiflen.
Taylor (Jeremy) on Episcopacy.
Holy Living and Dying.
Taylor's (W. C.) Manual of History.
Separate : Ancient History.
Modern IHstory.
Tesg's Chronology.
Templeton's Millwright's Companion.
Thackeray the Humourist and the Man
of Letters.
Barry Lyndon. 2 vols.
Book of Snobs.
Mr. Brown's Letters.
Fitz-Boodle.
Jeames' Diary.
Men's Wives.
Paris Sketch-Book.
Punch's Novelist.
Shabby Genteel Story.
Yellowplush Papers.
Works. G vols.
Dr. Birch.
Thiers' French Pevolution. 4 vols.
Cheap Edition. 2 vols.
10
D. APPLETON & CO'.S PUBLICATIONS.
Thomson's Seasons.
Thorpt-'s Bee-Hunter.
Thoughts in Affliction.
Tin Trumpet.
Tokens of Atfection. 5 vols.
Tolon's Spanish Iteader.
Towle's History o) Henry the Fifth.
Treasury of Travel and Adventure.
Trench on the Miracles.
" Parables.
" " Condensed.
Trescotfs Diplomacy.
Trm-an4)n Iron Manufacture.
Tyndall on Heat and Motion,
On lladiation.
Tyng's Four Gospels.
Uhlcmann's Syriac Grammar.
Uncle John's Library. 6 vols, in case.
Upf(Jd's Manual of Devotions.
Ure's Dictionary, Avith Supplement, 3
vols.
Supplement separately.
Yandenhoff's Note Book.
Vaughan's lievolutions of Eaco.
Velazquez' Spanish Dictionary.
Abridged.
• Spanish Conversations.
. Spanish Reader.
Vignettes (Cooper's), from Drawings
by F. O. C. Darley.
Villas on the Hudson.
Virgil's J^ncM.
Virginia Comedians. 2 vols.
Voltaire's Charles XII., in French.
Wainwright's Sermons.
Walworth's Gentle Skeptic.
"Ward's Lvrical Eeereations.
Ward's Naval Tactics.
Warner's (A. B.) My Brother's Keeper.
Warner's (Miss) Hills of the Shatemuc.
Warner's (J. F.) Lessons in Music.
Watson's Men and Times.
Watt's (James) Life,
Waverley Gallery.
Webst(>r's Spelling Book. New Edition
Webster's Quarto Dictionary, Un-
abridged.
Primary Dictionary.
Common School Dictionary,
High School Dictionary.
Academic Dictionary.
Counting-House and Family
Dictionary.
Pocket Dictionary.
Week's Delight.
Welbv's Poems.
Wells' Things Not Generally Known.
Wentz's Smiles and Frowns.
Whewell's Inductive Sciences. 2 vols.
Whist, by Ccelebs.
White's (Rev. J.) Eighteen Christian
Centuries.
White's (Rev. J.) History of France,
White's (R, G.) Shakspcare's Scholar.
White's (Kirke> Poems.
Whitehead's History of Perth Am-
boy.
New Jersey.
Whitney's Poems'.
Whiton's First Lessons in Greek.
Wife's Stratagem.
Wight's Translation of Cousin.
^ — Edition of Hamilton.
Williams' Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
2 vols.
Wilmott's Summer Journal.
Wilson's Sacra Pi-ivata.
Wilson's (Prof. John) Essays.
Wilson's (J.) Price Book.
Wilson's (Rev. W. D.) Treatise on
Logic.
Winkleman's French Syntax.
Winslow's Moral Philosophy.
Winter Evening Library. S vols, in
case.
Woman's Worth.
Wood's Marrying Too Late.
Wood (J. G.) Homes without Hands.
World-Noted Women.
Worthen's Rudimentary Drawing.
First Lessons in Mechanics.
Wright's (A. D.) Primary Lesspns.
Wright's (J. H.) Ocean Work. ■
Wyatt's Christian Altar.
Xenophon's Anabasis, by Boise,
Memorabilia, by Robbins.
Tonge's Beechcroft.
Bon Sylvester's Word.
Castle'Buiklers.
Clever Woman of the Family.
Daisy Chain. 2 vols.
The Trial.
Dynevor Terrace. 2 vols,
Friarswood Post Office,
Heartsease. 2 vols.
Heir of R( djclyffe. 2 vols.
Hopes and icars.
Kenneth.
Lances of Lynwood.
Richard the Fearless.
Stokcsley Secret.
Two Guardians.
Young Stepmother. 2 vols.
The Dove in the Eagle's Nest.
Young American's Library. 9 vols,
in case.
Youmans' Alcohol and Man.
Class-Eook of Chemistry.
Chart of Chemistry, on roller.
Chemical Atlas.
Household Science,
Young's Poems.
Youth's Book of Nature.
Zsehokke's Goldraaker's Village,
Date Due
Live Music
Archive
Librivox
Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland
Museum of Art
Internet
Arcade
Console Living Room
Open Library
American
Libraries
TV News
Understanding
9/11